D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 22, r. 22-B3227
Medication shall be stored in accordance with this section.
Each medication area, including each cabinet or cart shall be well lighted and large enough to permit storage without crowding and shall be clean and orderly.
Proper storage temperature shall be maintained for each medication according to the manufacturer's direction.
Medication that is dispensed by a pharmacy within the facility for use within the facility shall be labeled to identify the generic chemical or brand name, strength, lot number and expiration date.
Each label shall be securely affixed to the outside of each medication container.
Each medication of each resident shall be kept in its original container.
Each medication that requires refrigeration shall be kept in a pharmaceutical refrigerator or in a separate locked compartment within a refrigerator at each nursing station.
Each refrigerator that is used for storage of medications shall operate at a temperature between thirty-six degrees (36 [degrees]) and forty-six degrees (46 [degrees]) Fahrenheit; each refrigerator shall be equipped with a thermometer that is easily readable, accurate and in proper working condition.
Each medication that is labeled poisonous shall be kept separate from other medications in a locked cabinet.
Each medication container that has a soiled, damaged, illegible or otherwise incomplete label on it shall be returned to the pharmacy for relabeling or shall be destroyed.
No employee other than a pharmacist shall package, repackage, return to a container or label in whole or in part any medication, or alter in any way a medication label.
Each expired medication shall be removed from usage.
Each medication that is no longer in use shall be destroyed or returned to the in-house pharmacy.
Destruction of controlled substances shall be witnessed by two (2) licensed nurses and a signed and dated notation shall be made in the resident's medical record.
Each unopened, sealed medication may be returned to the issuing pharmacy.
No medication container shall be reused.
A separate double locked cabinet, permanently affixed compartment box or drawer within a locked cabinet shall provide for the storage of each substance that is controlled by the D.C. Uniform Controlled Substance Act, effective August 5, 1981, D.C. Law 4-29, D.C. Code § 33-501 et seq., and other drugs subject to abuse, except when the facility uses single unit package drug distribution systems in which the quantity stored is minimal and missing doses can be readily detected.
Each facility shall comply with all applicable District and federal laws, regulations, standards, administrative guidelines, and rules that regulate the procurement, handling, storage, administering, and recording of medication.
The facility shall label drugs and biologicals in accordance with currently accepted professional principles, and include the appropriate accessory and cautionary instructions, and their expiration date.
D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 22, r. 22-B3227