NHPCO NewsLine October 2013 - (Page 26)

Tip of the Month Medication Drug Disposal P atients receiving hospice care at home may be prescribed a variety of medications to ease their symptoms. If the medications are disposed of the wrong way, however, they may become harmful to the patient and family as well as to pets and the environment. Per the U.S. Food and Drug Administration: • Follow any specific disposal instructions on the drug label or in the patient information that accompanies the medication. Do not flush prescription drugs down the toilet unless the disposal instructions state otherwise. • If the drug label does not include instructions: - Take the medication out of its original container and mix it with an undesirable substance (such as used coffee grounds or kitty litter); - Scratch out all identifying information on the label. This will help protect the patient’s identity and personal health information. - Place the mixture in a sealable bag, empty can, or other container to prevent leakage, and place it in a garbage bag for disposal. Additional information can be found on the FDA website. 26 NHPCO NewsLine The Regulations If the state in which your hospice operates has medication-disposal regulations, your hospice must comply with them. If you’re not already familiar with your state regulations, see “Drug Disposal Laws and Regulations” on the Regulatory Center of the NHPCO website. It provides information by state. Medication disposal at a home death visit should also be completed in accordance with your state regulations (if any) as well as your organization’s policy. Note, however, that the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) considers the patient to be the owner of the medications, so disposal of the medications after the patient dies requires approval from the patient’s medical power of attorney or surrogate decision maker. Hospice staff should never remove medications from the patient’s place of residence. DEA Proposed Rule This past January, the DEA issued a proposed rule on drug disposal. See the NHPCO website for a copy of the comment letter submitted by NHPCO, with input from the NHPCO Regulatory Committee and the NCHPP Pharmacy Section. http://www.nhpco.org/drug-disposal-laws-and-regulations http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2012-12-21/pdf/2012-30699.pdf http://www.nhpco.org/sites/default/files/public/regulatory/DEA_drug_disposal_comments_NHPCO_022013.pdf http://www.nhpco.org/sites/default/files/public/regulatory/DEA_drug_disposal_comments_NHPCO_022013.pdf http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm101653.htm http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm101653.htm

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NHPCO NewsLine October 2013

Creating a Professional Paradise
A Message From Don
The Wired Volunteer Coordinator
Volunteers Recognized at CTC
Social Media Campaign to Dispel Myths
FHSSA Champions Program
Simione Consulting (display ad)
Three Ways to Gain Knowledge… (display ad)
How 5 Hospices are Helping Staff Feel Better…
FHSSA: Thank You to Our Sponsors (display ad)
NHF Gala: Save the Date (display ad)
Member News and Notes
Compliance Tip
Virtual Conference: Nov 4-8 (display ad)
Videos Worth Watching
Links to Resources on the NHPCO Website
NHF News

NHPCO NewsLine October 2013