Wasting Controlled Substances with only an RN & Tech in OR setting?

[caniacRN]

I work at a VA hospital and we do our GI cases in the operating room. We have a moderate sedation RN, a circualtor RN and GI tech in the room. Management wants to pull the circulators out of the room to utilize them in other rooms in the OR to help with staffing since most GI clinics only have 2 staff members in the room with the patient and GI MD. We will continue to be in the OR setting, but with no circulator. Our Omnicell that stocks our drugs is in another location off the core away from the OR room. Currently the moderate sedation RN has the circulator RN come to the head of the bed and witness the wasting of the unused controlled substances (Fentanyl & Versed) and then after taking the patient to PACU we go to the Omnicell and document the wastage. Now with the circulator being removed the moderate sedation RN does not have a licensed person to witness the wastage. The MD has stated to us he refuses to get involved with wasting drugs and going to the Omnicell with the sedation nurse. Our administration has told us the sedation nurse can put the unused drugs in the syringes in their pocket and take them to PACU and waste the drugs with the PACU RN when they bring the pt to PACU. We are concerned this would violate a DEA regulation of wasting drugs before leaving the area you did not use them, but our Chief Pharmacist says he knows of no DEA regulation that says we can't take the drugs to another location to waste them. We are concerned some nurses can divert the controlled substance with saline and take the saline syringe and waste with the unknowing PACU RN. Our managers cannot find and policy that says we can or cannot do this, they just want the circulators out of the room so they can staff them somewhere else in the OR.

Can anyone tell me how you waste your controlled substances in your RN/tech only setting?

[paige1665]

I have the same issue for weekend call. I also go to PACU and waste with an RN there. I take my unused amounts, waste them in front of the PACU nurse as we put the info in the Pixis. Our techs, even if they have an MOA background, do not have access to the Pixis.

I have no idea about the DEA regulation.

[xoomper]

I have no idea about dea regulations and if you find evidence of such a policy you could bring it to the attention of the Head pharmacist. Other then that as long as you follow the hospitals policy I don't see why there would be a problem. A nurse could possibly divert the drugs with saline but that is not an issue you should worry about, at least ideally.

It isn't a bad idea to brush up on the signs and symptoms of addiction in the workplace, though, and maybe keep it in the back of your mind when working with fellow employees if something seems abnormal.

As long as the narcotics are witnessed to be properly wasted according to the hospital policy, I don't think there is any form of malpractice on your part and would not worry about it.

[xoomper]

Thinking about it though, maybe the dea law from how you describe means taking the narcotics off hospital property rather then the actual unit.