Section 144-118-10.K - Drug Storage and Recordkeeping10.K.1. The facility may stock in bulk supply those items regularly available without prescription at a pharmacy.10.K.2. The facility shall:a. Provide a medicine cabinet for individual prescriptions, which: 1. Is large enough to hold all medications in use and lit well enough to permit one to read the labels;2. Is located where easily accessible;3. Is equipped with secure storage units, plainly labeled, in which individual client's medications can be clearly separated from another's; and4. Provides physical separation for internal and external medications.b. Store poisons, drugs used externally, and drugs taken internally on separate shelves or in separate cabinets, at all locations;c. Store in a separate compartment with proper security, any medication that is kept in a refrigerator that also contains non-medication items;d. Have a separate secure place apart from medicine, drugs and food for the storage of bleaches, detergents, disinfectants, insecticides and poisons. Each of these must be clearly labeled; and e.Keep all drugs and biologicals locked except when they are being prepared for administration.f.Only authorized persons may have access to the keys to the drug storage area. 10.K.3. All prescribed medicines are the property of the client. Upon discharge of a living client from a licensed home, his/her prescribed medications, including controlled drugs or substances, may be released with him, but only upon written authorization by the client's physician.10.K.4. All prescribed medications other than Schedule II controlled substances and individual unit doses for a deceased client must be destroyed by the Administrator or the Director of Nursing Services: a.The destruction shall be conducted in such a manner so as to prevent any person from being able to use, administer, sell or give away the medication; b.The destruction shall be documented by the person destroying the medications; and c.Witnessed in fact and by signature by at least one (1) additional witness 10.K.5. Schedule II controlled substances that are the property of the patient and are no longer in use may be disposed of by any of the following persons:b. A pharmacist member of the Maine Board of Pharmacy;c. A Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) agent; ore. An authorized representative of the Department of Health and Human Services in association with a pharmacist or nurse. Records will be maintained of the disposition/destruction of all Schedule II controlled substances.
10.K.6. Individual unit doses may be returned to the pharmacist for credit.10.K.7. Amounts of medication destroyed or returned must be recorded on the client's record and witnessed by one (1) additional witness.10.K.8. An emergency kit appropriate to the needs of the clients must be available to the authorized personnel of the living unit.10-144 C.M.R. ch. 118, § 10.K