§ 10350. Administration of Initial Doses of Medication to New Patients.

(a) The program physician shall administer or supervise the initial dosage of a medication used in replacement narcotic therapy.

(b) The new patient shall be observed to ingest the initial dose and shall continue to be observed for a period of time prescribed by the medical director or program physician.

(c) If the requirement contained in Subsection (b) of this regulation are delegated to a staff member as authorized by Section 11215 of the Health and Safety Code to administer or dispense medications, that staff member shall notify the medical director or program physician immediately of any adverse effects, and document in the patient's record the length of time he/she observed the new patient and the outcome of the observation.

(d) The initial dosage shall be sufficient to control symptoms of withdrawal but shall not be so great as to cause sedation, respiratory depression, or other effects of acute intoxication.

(e) Programs shall specify in their protocols details of planned initial doses.

(f) If a program admits a patient who was receiving replacement narcotic therapy from another program the previous day, the initial dosage level requirement provided in Section 10355 and the observation requirement contained in Subsections (b) and (c) of this regulation do not apply.

HISTORY

1. Change without regulatory effect renumbering and amending parts of former section 10218 to 10350 filed 6-3-91 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 91, No. 34).

2. Amendment of section heading, section and Note filed 3-15-96 as an emergency; operative 3-15-96 (Register 96, No. 11). A Certificate of Compliance must be transmitted to OAL by 7-13-96 or emergency language will be repealed by operation of law on the following day.

3. Amendment of section heading, section and Note refiled 7-8-96 as an emergency; operative 7-12-96 (Register 96, No. 28). A Certificate of Compliance must be transmitted to OAL by 11-12-96 or emergency language will be repealed by operation of law on the following day.

4. Amendment of section heading, section and Note refiled 10-23-96 as an emergency; operative 10-29-96 (Register 96, No. 43). A Certificate of Compliance must be transmitted to OAL by 2-26-97 or emergency language will be repealed by operation of law on the following day.

5. Amendment of section heading, section and Note refiled 2-11-97 as an emergency; operative 2-24-97 (Register 97, No. 7). A Certificate of Compliance must be transmitted to OAL by 6-24-97 or emergency language will be repealed by operation of law on the following day.

6. Certificate of Compliance as to 2-11-97 order transmitted to OAL 3-4-97; disapproved by OAL and order of repeal as to 2-11-97 order filed 4-15-97 (Register 97, No. 16).

7. Amendment of section heading, section and Note filed 4-15-97 as an emergency; operative 4-15-97 (Register 97, No. 16). A Certificate of Compliance must be transmitted to OAL by 8-13-97 or emergency language will be repealed by operation of law on the following day.

8. Certificate of Compliance as to 4-15-97 order transmitted to OAL 6-2-97 and filed 6-13-97 (Register 97, No. 24).

9. Change without regulatory effect amendingNote filed 4-19-2006 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 2006, No. 16).

Note

Note: Authority cited: Sections 11755, 11835, 11839.3 and 11839.20, Health and Safety Code. Reference: Sections 11839.2, 11839.3, 11839.20 and 11875, Health and Safety Code.