1. (a) All drugs on the premises of a nursing home, except for the emergency tray, as defined by the State Board of Health and the Arkansas State Board of Pharmacy, shall be properly labeled containers dispensed upon prescription by the pharmacy.

2. (b)

   1. (1) All medications shall be kept in a locked cabinet or locked room at all times.
   2. (2) Only the nurse responsible for administering the medication, director of nursing, and the administrator shall have a key.

3. (c)

   1. (1) All controlled drugs shall be stored in a separately locked, permanently affixed substantially constructed cabinet within a locked drug room or cabinet.

   2. (2) When mobile medication carts for unit-dose or multiple day card systems are used, the condition for security will be considered met provided that the:

      1. (A) Mobile cart is in a locked room when unit contains controlled drugs and is not in actual use; and
      2. (B)
4. (i) Controlled substances are in a separately locked compartment within the cart unless:
5. (a) (a) The quantity stored is minimal; and

6. (b) (b) A missing dose can readily be detected.

   1. (ii) A minimal quantity shall be considered to be a quantity of a twenty-four-hour supply or less.

      1. (d) All drugs for external use shall be kept in a safe place accessible only to employees and in a special area apart from other medication and prescriptions.

7. (e)

   1. (1) Medicines requiring cold storage shall be refrigerated.
   2. (2) A locked container placed below food level in a home refrigerator is considered satisfactory storage space.

8. (f)

   1. (1) Each patient’s prescription medication shall be:

      1. (A) Kept in the original container; and
      2. (B) Clearly and adequately labeled by the pharmacist.

   2. (2) The label shall include the:

      1. (A) Prescription number;
      2. (B) Patient’s name;
      3. (C) Name and strength of medicine;
      4. (D) Physician’s or dentist’s name;
      5. (E) Date of issue;
      6. (F) Name of pharmacy;
      7. (G) Appropriate accessory and cautionary labels;
      8. (H) Expiration date of drug where applicable;
      9. (I) Quantity of tablets or capsules dispensed; and
      10. (J) Directions for administration.

9. (g)

   1. (1) Labels should be affixed to the immediate container.
   2. (2) The immediate container is that which is in direct contact with the drug at all times.

10. (h)

    1. (1) O.T.C. medications (medications not requiring a prescription for purchase) that are the private property of the patient do not have to be labeled by a pharmacist.

    2. (2) However, they must be identified with at least the patient’s name.

       1. (i) Drug rooms shall be supplied with adequate lighting so that medications can be safely prepared for administration.
11. (j) Drug rooms shall be properly ventilated so that the temperature requirements set by the U.S.P. are met: fifty-nine to eighty-six degrees Fahrenheit (59˚ – 86˚F).

Codification Notes: “U.S.P.” means United States Pharmacopeia.