Safe Opioid Use, IV Medication, Blood and Medication Administration Requirements: Complying with the CMS Hospital COPs

Many requirements must be met when the patient is provided their first opioid. This program will discuss the revised standards on the CMS hospital CoPs on safe opioid use, IV medication, and blood transfusion.

The following are also covered: CDC opioid guidelines, Joint Commission final pain management guidelines, federal guidelines for opioid programs, the opioid epidemic, and required hospital policies and training. The CMS standards on the care of the patient receiving opioids also apply to critical access hospitals.

This program will also discuss the ISMP IV Push guidelines for adults which hospitals should have. It will discuss the National Action Plan for ADR prevention related to the opioid recommendations. The CMS final worksheet on QAPI will be covered regarding the tracking of medication administration errors and adverse drug reactions. The CDC's final opioid guidelines are also discussed.

Staff education on the safe opioid use policy is required and includes an assessment of the patient to determine who will be at risk for an adverse event from the use of IV opioids including PCA. Staff must be educated on the side effects and how to recognize them. CMS includes documentation requirements, minimum monitoring requirements, and information that must be explained to the patient.

• Discuss CMS 32-page memo on medication administration and safe opioid use
• Describe that all medications must be administered within three different time frames
• Recall that CMS has required policies and education requirements on medication administration and safe opioid use
• Discuss that CMS has requirements to ensure nurses are competent when giving IV medications or blood transfusions
• Recall that the CDC issued opioid prescribing guidelines

• Introduction into the CMS hospital CoPs
• Changes and safe injection practices
• ISMP 26 pages of guidelines on IV Push medication
• CDC Opioid Guidelines
• Federal guidelines for opioid programs
• TJC pain management guidelines
• Changes: medication administration, IV, blood, and opioid safe use, and immediate post-op care
• National Action Plan for ADE prevention
• Stages of the medication process
• Incidence of medication errors and ADEs
• Reminder for nurses to know pharmacy CoPs
• Blue boxes or advisories
• IV Medication and Blood transfusions
• Assessment and safe use of opioids
• Orders for drugs and biologicals
• Flu and Pneumovax
• Nine rights
• Timing of medication

• Chief nursing officer
• All nurses with direct patient care
• Nurse managers
• Nurse supervisors
• Nurse educator
• Pharmacists
• Director of the pharmacy
• Compliance officer
• Chief of medical staff
• Medical staff coordinator
• Risk manager
• Patient safety officer
• Senior leadership
• Hospital legal counsel
• PI director
• Joint Commission coordinator
• Regulatory officers
• Chief operating officer
• Physicians
• Education department staff
• Board members
• Director of health information management
• Audit staff
• Others responsible for compliance with hospital regulations, including documentation compliance