Surveyors are now focusing on Narcotic Use Tracing. Our last three surveys included a Narcotic Audit.  They are looking for accuracy of charting, unnecessary drug, pain management and diversion.

Narcotic use tracing – pick a patient who uses narcotic for a few days.  Start from order, transcript, receive med from Rx, pt request pain med, remove from stock, signed out from inventory sheet, is the count correct, charted given, two nurses sign shift change count, record pain level, is it effective? How do you dispose it?   Did you follow every step?  Many deficiencies are being handed out.