Section 22-B2620. ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICATIONS

 

2620.1Each maternity center shall develop a written plan for pain control that utilizes primarily close human support, psychological analgesia, hydrotherapy and adequate preparation for the birth experience.

 

2620.2If a professional determination is made by the physician or certified nurse midwife that the best interest of the patient would be served by the implementation/use of an analgesic/anesthetic, systemic analgesia may be administered. General and regional anesthesia shall not be used in a maternity center. Local anesthesia for episiotomy and repair may be performed according to procedures outlined in the maternity center's Practice Guidelines.

 

2620.3Personnel of each maternity center, in cooperation with a licensed consultant pharmacist, the nursing staff and as necessary, representatives of other disciplines, shall develop written Practice Guidelines governing the safe administration and control of drugs and other medications. Such guidelines shall comply with 22 DCMR Chapters 5 and 10, and be annually reviewed and revised as necessary.

 

2620.4The Practice Guidelines governing drugs and medications shall provide for legal authorization, storage, administration and record keeping, including but not limited to the following:

 

(a)Medications shall be ordered by a certified-nurse midwife or physician or other member of the staff who is licensed to write such orders;

 

(b)Medication orders shall be recorded in the patient's chart and signed by the ordering person with his/her whole signature;

 

(c)Medications shall be administered by a physician, nurse midwife, registered nurse or licensed practical nurse, and in accordance with the approved practice guidelines;

 

(d)Each maternity center shall have on file a current copy of Drug Enforcement Administration Certificates for all maternity center personnel authorized to prescribe and/or dispense controlled substances;

 

(e)Controlled substances shall be stored in a locked cabinet;

 

(f)Medications requiring refrigeration shall be kept in a pharmaceutical refrigerator or in a separate locked compartment within a refrigerator. All refrigeration shall have thermometers that are easily readable, in proper working condition, and accurate within a range of plus or minus two (2) degrees;

 

(g)Medications labeled for "external use" or "poison" shall be kept separate from other medications in a locked cabinet;

 

(h)All drugs shall be labeled adequately, including the expiration date; and

 

(i)Each maternity center shall maintain in good repair and operating order a security system designed to detect illegal entry into the drug storage area.

 

2620.5Each maternity center shall maintain an adequate system for accounting for controlled substances. Each person licensed to distribute, administer or dispense controlled substances shall be required to keep records and maintain inventories in conformance with the record keeping and inventory requirements of federal and District of Columbia law.

 

source

Notice of Final Rulemaking published at 46 DCR 2779 (March 19, 1999); as amended by Corrected Notice of Final Rulemaking published at 46 DCR 3970 (April 30, 1999).