What do you do about doctors who don't write scripts for narcotics/sleeping pills etc

Threaten to call the Medical Director.

The problem with that, Cape Cod, is that it often IS the medical director.

Have the facility change the protocols and allow nurses to take telephone orders :-P

The law requires the doctors to send the scripts. Doctors must send scripts to the pharmacy themselves in order for residents to receive narcotics/sleeping pills etc.

Lobby to have the law changed

You can take a telephone order and fax it to pharmacy, but pharmacy will not send rx until written script is sent/faxed. This applies to LTC/SAR facilities - at least in NJ.

Have the facility change the protocols and allow nurses to take telephone orders :-P

You can take telephone orders but with controlled substances you need a paper script that only the provider can give.

I've asked pharmacy to call before, saying something like "can you call dr x for the script? His number is 555-5555."

There has always been a federal law stating a script must be sent before a med is dispensed. The DEA only recently started to enforce it because there aren't enough drug lords to arrest and we all know how nurses steal meds and little old ladies with new hips are at the top of the list of people who abuse narcotics.