Ohio Administrative Code|Rule 5122-26-15 | Medication handling and drug theft.

                                                
(A) The provider shall have written
		  policies and procedures regarding the purchasing, receipt, storage,
		  distribution, return, and destruction of medication that include accountability
		  for and security of prescription and over-the-counter medications located
		  within any of its facilities. These policies and procedures shall include, but
		  not be limited to the requirements that providers handling medications
		  shall:
(1) Hold a valid and
			 current terminal distributor of dangerous drugs license from the Ohio board of
			 pharmacy if maintaining a stock supply of prescription medications, if
			 participating with the department's central pharmacy to receive dispensed
			 prescriptions, or when otherwise required by rules of the Ohio board of
			 pharmacy.
(2) Locate all
			 medications and prescription blanks in a locked, secure area;
(3) Designate a person
			 having access to or authorized to handle medications and shall maintain a
			 current list of these persons, their credentials and their medication handling
			 responsibilities.
(4) Provide a method to
			 record and follow the medications from the time of receipt to the time of
			 distribution, return to central pharmacy, or destruction. This record shall be
			 retained by the provider for three years and shall include, but not be limited
			 to the following information:
(a) The date and time the medication was received by the
				provider, distributed to persons served, returned to central pharmacy or, if
				appropriate, destroyed;
(b) The name, credentials and signature of all persons handling
				medications; and
(c) The provision that unused medications prescribed for a person
				shall be appropriately destroyed or returned to central pharmacy, and that,
				under no circumstances shall the unused medications be issued to another
				individual. Return of unused medications prescribed to a person is only allowed
				when the return is to central pharmacy in accordance with rule 4729-9-04 of the
				Administrative Code.
(5) Ensure that all staff
			 handling medications have basic and ongoing instruction and training in safe
			 and effective handling of medications.
(6) Ensure that
			 medications are handled only by authorized persons and that others do not have
			 access to the medications; and
(7) Ensure that
			 controlled substances may be destroyed only by an agent of the Ohio board of
			 pharmacy, or the federal drug enforcement agency, or by transfer to persons
			 registered under Chapters 3719. and 4729. of the Revised Code and according to
			 rule 4729-9-06 of the Administrative Code.
(B) Providers maintaining a limited stock
		  supply of medications shall:
(1)  Allow only a
			 physician or pharmacist to dispense medications, although the following
			 individuals may personally furnish samples of some medications if issued a
			 certificate to prescribe:
(a) Certified nurse practitioner and clinical nurse specialist in
				accordance with division (D) of section 4723.481 of the Revised Code;
				and
(b) Physician's assistant in accordance with division (A) of
				section 4730.43 of the Revised Code.
(2) Have visibly posted
			 the phone number of the nearest poison control center.
(C) Each provider that permits clients to
		  self-administer medication shall have written policies and procedures that
		  include, but are not limited to, the following:
(1) Procedures for
			 storing medications in a locked and secured cabinet, or similar
			 storage.
(2) Procedures for
			 self-medication.
(3) Procedures for
			 accounting for medications that are kept for the client while they are at the
			 program site.
(4) Each provider shall
			 describe in its policies and procedures whether clients are permitted to
			 self-administer medication at the provider site, and whether clients are
			 permitted to have unsecured prescription and over-the-counter medication in
			 their possession while at the client site. When clients are not permitted to
			 have medication in their possession, the provider shall have written procedures
			 for obtaining, accounting for, and returning medication at the time of
			 departure or discharge.
(D) The provider shall have a policy on
		  employee medication theft and shall inform all employees concerning this
		  policy. The policy shall include attention to prescription as well as
		  over-the-counter medications maintained for client use.
(1) An employee, intern
			 or volunteer with knowledge of medication theft by an employee or any other
			 person shall report such information to the executive director of the provider.
			 If the executive director of the provider is suspected of medication theft, the
			 employee or volunteer shall notify the department.
The provider shall take all reasonable steps to
			 protect the confidentiality of the information and the identity of the person
			 furnishing the information.
(2) Suspected medication
			 theft shall be reported to the Ohio board of pharmacy. For controlled
			 substances, suspected medication theft shall also be reported to the federal
			 drug enforcement administration. Providers participating in medication services
			 with the Ohio department of mental health and addiction services central
			 pharmacy shall also notify central pharmacy.
(3) Failure to report
			 information of medication theft shall be considered in determining the
			 eligibility of the employee to continue to work in a secure area where
			 medications are stored.
(4) If an employee
			 violates the provider's medication theft policies, the provider shall
			 assess the seriousness of the employee's violation, whether the violation
			 has a direct and substantial relationship to that employee's position, the
			 past record of employment, and other relevant factors in determining whether to
			 suspend, transfer, terminate, or take other action against the
			 employee.