Recently the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a memo announcing many changes to the hospital Conditions of Participation (CoP) pharmacy standards. Every hospital that accepts Medicare or Medicaid must be in compliance with these regulations and interpretive guidelines.

This program will cover pharmaceutical services requirements, common problematic pharmacy standards, and the CMS final infection control worksheet, including safe injection practices. It will also review the nursing services section in the hospital CoP manual. Ms. Calloway will discuss the recent changes CMS has made to the nursing section that addresses medication usage, including timing of medication, self-administered medication, compounding, blood, and safe opioid use. Hospital nursing staff should also to be aware of pharmacy standards including medication errors, adverse events, and drug incompatibilities, self-administered medication and required medication policies. Hospital staff need to work together to implement these standards and guidelines.