Virginia Law

A. All prescription drugs at any correctional facility shall be subject to the following conditions:

1. Notwithstanding the allowances in subsections B, C, and D of this section, prescription drugs shall be obtained only on an individual prescription basis.

2. All prepared drugs shall be maintained in a suitable locked storage area with only the person responsible for administering the drugs having access.

3. Complete and accurate records shall be maintained of all drugs received, administered and discontinued. The administration record shall show the:

a. Patient name;

b. Drug name and strength;

c. Number of dosage units received;

d. Prescriber's name; and

e. Date, time and signature of the person administering the individual dose of drug.

4. All unused or discontinued drugs shall be sealed and the amount in the container at the time of the sealing shall be recorded on the drug administration record. Schedule VI drugs shall be returned to the provider pharmacy or to a secondary pharmacy along with the drug administration record, a copy of the drug administration record, or other form showing substantially the same information, within 30 days of discontinuance.

a. The provider or secondary pharmacy shall conduct random audits of returned drug administration records for accountability.

b. The drug administration records shall be filed in chronological order by the provider or secondary pharmacy and maintained for a period of one year or, at the option of the facility, the records may be returned by the pharmacy to the facility.

c. Drugs may be returned to pharmacy stock in compliance with the provisions of 18VAC110-20-400.

d. Other drugs shall be disposed of or destroyed by the provider pharmacy in accordance with local, state, and federal regulations.

5. After performing the audit required by subdivision 4 a of this subsection and ensuring the proper maintenance of the administration records, drugs in Schedules II through V shall be destroyed at the site of the correctional facility using a method of destruction that renders the drug unrecoverable.

a. The destruction shall be performed by a nurse, pharmacist, or physician and witnessed by the nurse supervisor, a pharmacist, or a physician.

b. Destruction of drugs shall occur within 30 days of discontinuance.

c. A complete and accurate record of the drugs destroyed shall be made. The original of the record of destruction shall be signed and dated by the persons witnessing the destruction and maintained at the correctional facility for a period of two years. A copy of the destruction record shall be maintained at the provider pharmacy for a period of two years.

B. Emergency and stat-drug box. An emergency box and a stat-drug box may be prepared for a correctional facility served by the pharmacy pursuant to 18VAC110-20-540 and 18VAC110-20-550 provided that the facility employs one or more full-time physicians, registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, or physician assistants.

C. A correctional facility may maintain a stock of intravenous fluids, irrigation fluids, sterile water, and sterile saline to be accessed only by those persons licensed to administer drugs and shall be administered only by such persons pursuant to a valid prescription or lawful order of a prescriber. Such stock shall be limited to a listing to be determined by the provider pharmacist in consultation with the medical and nursing staff of the institution.

D. Except for drugs in an emergency box, stat-drug box, or a stock of intravenous fluids, irrigation fluids, sterile water, and sterile saline, prescription drugs, including vaccines, may be floor-stocked only at a medical clinic or surgery center that is part of a correctional facility and that is staffed by one or more prescribers during the hours of operation, provided the clinic first obtains a controlled substances registration and complies with the requirements of 18VAC110-20-690, 18VAC110-20-700, 18VAC110-20-710, and 18VAC110-20-720.