§ 77079.3. Pharmaceutical Services -Labeling and Storage of Drugs .

(a) Containers which are cracked, soiled or without secure closures shall not be used. Drug labels shall be legible.

(b) All drugs obtained by prescription shall be labeled in compliance with state and federal laws governing prescription dispensing. No person other than the dispenser or prescriber of the drug shall alter any prescription label.

(c) Nonlegend drugs shall be labeled in conformance with state and federal food and drug laws.

(d) Test reagents, germicides, disinfectants and other household substances shall be stored separately from drugs and shall not be accessible to patients.

(e) External use drugs in liquid, tablet, capsule or powder form shall be stored separately from drugs for internal use.

(f) Drugs shall be stored at appropriate temperatures. Drugs required to be stored at room temperature shall be stored at a temperature between 15 degrees C (59 degrees F) and 30 degrees C (86 degrees F). Drugs requiring refrigeration shall be stored in a refrigerator between 2 degrees C (36 degrees F) and 8 degrees C (46 degrees F). When drugs are stored in the same refrigerator with food, the drugs shall be kept in a closed container clearly labeled “drugs.”

(g) Drugs shall be stored in an orderly manner in cabinets, drawers or carts of sufficient size to prevent crowding.

(h) Dose preparation and administration areas shall be well-lighted.

(i) Drugs shall be accessible only to personnel designated in writing by the licensee.

(j) Medication shall not be kept at the patient's bedside.

(k) Drugs shall not be kept in stock after the expiration date on the label and no contaminated or deteriorated drugs shall be available for use.

( l) The drugs of each patient shall be kept and stored in their originally received containers. No drug shall be transferred between containers.

(m) Discontinued drug containers shall be marked, or otherwise identified, to indicate that the drug has been discontinued, or shall be stored in a separate location which shall be identified solely for this purpose. Discontinued drugs shall be disposed of within 90 days of the date the drug order was discontinued, unless the drug is reordered within that time.

HISTORY

1. New section filed 4-15-87, operative 5-15-87 (Register 87, No. 16).

Note

Note: Authority cited: Sections 208(a) and 1275, Health and Safety Code. Reference: Section 1275.1, Health and Safety Code; Sections 650 and 651, Business and Professions Code.