1. All pharmacy operations or services within the CSU must be licensed and under the direct supervision of a registered pharmacist or provided by contract with a licensed pharmacy operated by a registered pharmacist.
2. The CSU must ensure access to pharmacy services for prescription medications within eight (8) hours of the physician's order.
3. Stat medication not maintained in the CSU must be available for administration within one (1) hour of the order to give the medication.
4. Any request for exemptions for requirements regarding a pharmacy license must be submitted in writing to the Georgia State Board of Pharmacy.
5. The CSU shall establish and implement policies, procedures and practices that guide the safe and effective use of medications and shall, at a minimum, address the following:
a. Medications and medical care orders shall be written, signed, administered, and implemented upon direct order from a physician, as defined in O.C.G.A. Secs. 43-34-23, 43-34-25;
b. Medications shall be used solely for the purposes of providing effective treatment and protecting the safety of the individual and other persons and shall not be used as punishment or for the convenience of staff or as chemical restraint;
c. There shall be no standing orders for any psychotropic medication;
d. Medication management policies and procedures shall follow federal and state laws, rules and regulations, and shall direct the management of medication ordering, procurement, prescribing, transcribing, dispensing, administration, documentation, wasting or disposal and security, to include the management of controlled substances, floor stock, and physician sample medications;
e. There shall be documented evidence of oversight by the medical director for the accounting of and dispensing of sample medications;
f. The CSU shall develop a policy on informed consent on medication, including the right to refuse medication;
g. The CSU shall follow the Department's policies and procedures for Informed Consent and Involuntary Administration of Psychotropic Medication;
h. There shall be a process to identify, track and correct deviations in medication prescribing, transcribing, dispensing, administration, documentation, or drug security of ordering or procurement of medication that results in a variance;
i. The CSU shall develop and implement policies and procedures that describe actions to follow when drug reactions and other emergencies related to the use of medications occur, and emergency medical care that may be initiated by a registered nurse in order to alleviate a life threatening situation; and
j. The CSU shall conduct daily checks and maintain temperature logs for all medication room refrigerators. Temperatures for the refrigerator shall be set between 34°F to 41°F (1°C to 5°C).
O.C.G.A. Secs. 37-1-29, 37-3-162, 37-3-163, 37-3-165, 37-7-162, 37-7-165.
