Title of Regulation: 18VAC110-20. Regulations Governing the Practice of Pharmacy (amending 18VAC110-20-500).

Statutory Authority: § 54.1-2400 of the Code of Virginia.

Effective Date: September 25, 2013.

Agency Contact: Caroline Juran, RPh, Executive Director, Board of Pharmacy, 9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 300, Richmond, VA 23233-1463, telephone (804) 367-4416, FAX (804) 527-4472, or email caroline.juran@dhp.virginia.gov.

Summary:

The amendments conform the requirement for administration of drugs by emergency medical services (EMS) personnel to Chapter 191 of the 2013 Acts of the Assembly. Since EMS personnel are allowed to administer drugs and devices in accordance with oral or written orders or by standing protocol, the regulatory requirement for a medical practitioner to sign the administration record upon receiving the patient is not consistent with the statutory language and is deleted.

18VAC110-20-500. Licensed emergency medical services agencies program.

The pharmacy may prepare a drug kit for a licensed emergency medical services agency provided:

1. The PIC of the hospital pharmacy shall be responsible for all prescription drugs contained in this drug kit. A pharmacist shall check each drug kit after filling the kit, and initial the filling record certifying the accuracy and integrity of the contents of the kit.

2. The drug kit is sealed in such a manner that it will deter theft or loss of drugs and aid in detection of such.

3. Drugs may be administered by an emergency medical technician upon an oral order or written standing order or standing protocol of an authorized medical practitioner in accordance with § 54.1-3408 of the Code of Virginia. Oral orders shall be reduced to writing by the technician and shall be signed by a medical practitioner. Written standing orders protocols shall be signed by the operational medical director for the emergency medical services agency. The emergency medical technician shall make a record of all drugs administered to a patient. This administration record shall be signed by the medical practitioner who assumes responsibility for the patient at the hospital. If the patient is not transported to the hospital or if the attending medical practitioner at the hospital refuses to sign the record, a copy of this record shall be signed and placed in delivery to the hospital pharmacy who was responsible for that kit exchange by the agency's operational medical director within seven days of the administration.

4. When the drug kit has been opened, the kit shall be returned to the pharmacy and exchanged for an unopened kit. The record of the drugs administered shall accompany the opened kit when exchanged. An accurate record shall be maintained by the pharmacy on the exchange of the drug kit for a period of one year.

5. The record of the drugs administered shall be maintained as a part of the pharmacy records pursuant to state and federal regulations for a period of not less than two years.

6. Intravenous solutions provided by a hospital pharmacy to an emergency medical services agency may be stored separately outside the drug kit.