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Laure Dudley
Senior Consultant
Portable medications carts can be kept unlocked if they are in a monitored or secure area and don’t contain narcotics. Based on CMS and Joint Commission requirements, if they are located in an unmonitored area they must be locked or secured and surveyors will watch for it. It’s a good idea to check the security of your unmonitored carts in areas such as medical-surgical unit hallways or an empty procedure room. For example, even if your carts are locked, it’s a good practice to double check the security of each drawer. It is surprising how often one or more drawers can be pulled open even when the cart is locked leaving the medications unsecured. Consider performing a risk assessment on the locations of these carts throughout your organization to proactively identify issues pertaining to security.
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