§ 131E-128.2. Nursing home quality assurance committee; duties related to medication error prevention. - North Carolina Statutes

§ 131E‑128.2.  Nursing home quality assurancecommittee; duties related to medication error prevention.

Every nursing home administrator shall ensure that the nursing homequality assurance committee develops and implements appropriate measures tominimize the risk of actual and potential medication‑related errors,including the measures listed in this section. The design and implementation ofthe measures shall be based upon recommendations of the medication managementadvisory committee and shall:

(1)        Increase awareness and education of the patient and familymembers about all medications that the patient is using, both prescription andover‑the‑counter, including dietary supplements.

(2)        Increase prescription legibility.

(3)        Minimize confusion in prescription drug labeling andpackaging, including unit dose packaging.

(4)        Develop a confidential and nonpunitive process for internalreporting of actual and potential medication‑related errors.

(5)        To the extent practicable, implement proven medicationsafety practices, including the use of automated drug ordering and dispensingsystems.

(6)        Educate facility staff engaged in medication administrationactivities on similar‑sounding drug names.

(7)        Implement a system to accurately identify recipients beforeany drug is administered.

(8)        Implement policies and procedures designed to improveaccuracy in medication administration and in documentation by properlyauthorized individuals, in accordance with prescribed orders and stop orderpolicies.

(9)        Implement policies and procedures for patient self‑administrationof medication.

(10)      Investigate and analyze the frequency and root causes ofgeneral categories and specific types of actual or potential medication‑relatederrors.

(11)      Develop recommendations for plans of action to correctidentified deficiencies in the facility's pharmaceutical management practices. (2003‑393, s. 1.)