Section 246-873-060. Emergency outpatient medications.

The director of pharmacy of a hospital shall, in concert with the appropriate committee of the hospital medical staff, develop policies and procedures, which shall be implemented, to provide emergency pharmaceuticals to outpatients during hours when normal community or hospital pharmacy services are not available. The delivery of a single dose for immediate administration to the patient shall not be subject to this regulation. Such policies shall allow the designated registered nurse(s) to deliver medications other than controlled substances, pursuant to the policies and procedures which shall require that:

(1) An order of a practitioner authorized to prescribe a drug is presented. Oral or electronically transmitted orders must be verified by the prescriber in writing within 72 hours.

(2) The medication is prepackaged by a pharmacist and has a label that contains:

(a) Name, address, and telephone number of the hospital.

(b) The name of the drug (as required by chapter 246-899 WAC), strength and number of units.

(c) Cautionary information as required for patient safety and information.

(d) An expiration date after which the patient should not use the medication.

(3) No more than a 24-hour supply is provided to the patient except when the pharmacist has informed appropriate hospital personnel that normal services will not be available within 24 hours.

(4) The container is labeled by the designated registered nurse(s) before presenting to the patient and shows the following:

(a) Name of patient;

(b) Directions for use by the patient;

(c) Date;

(d) Identifying number;

(e) Name of prescribing practitioner;

(f) Initials of the registered nurse;

(5) The original or a direct copy of the order by the prescriber is retained for verification by the pharmacist after completion by the designated registered nurse(s) and shall bear:

(a) Name and address of patient;

(b) Date of issuance;

(c) Units issued;

(d) Initials of designated registered nurse.

(6) The medications to be delivered as emergency pharmaceuticals shall be kept in a secure place in or near the emergency room in such a manner as to preclude the necessity for entry into the pharmacy.

(7) The procedures outlined in this rule may not be used for controlled substances except at the following rural hospitals which met all three of the rural access project criteria on May 17, 1989:

[Statutory Authority: RCW 18.64.005. WSR 92-12-035 (Order 277B), § 246-873-060, filed 5/28/92, effective 6/28/92. Statutory Authority: RCW 18.64.005 and chapter 18.64A RCW. WSR 91-18-057 (Order 191B), recodified as § 246-873-060, filed 8/30/91, effective 9/30/91. Statutory Authority: RCW 18.64.005. WSR 89-12-011 (Order 225), § 360-17-055, filed 5/26/89; WSR 83-23-109 (Order 179), § 360-17-055, filed 11/23/83.]

RCW 18.64.005. WSR 92-12-035 (Order 277B), § 246-873-060, filed 5/28/92, effective 6/28/92. Statutory Authority: RCW 18.64.005 and chapter 18.64A RCW. WSR 91-18-057 (Order 191B), recodified as § 246-873-060, filed 8/30/91, effective 9/30/91. Statutory Authority: RCW 18.64.005. WSR 89-12-011 (Order 225), § 360-17-055, filed 5/26/89; WSR 83-23-109 (Order 179), § 360-17-055, filed 11/23/83.

Rules

246-899,