Requirements for Hospital Medication Administration, Particularly Intravenous (IV) Medications and Post-Operative Care of Patients Receiving IV Opioids

• Medication Administration: We are updating our guidance for the hospital medication administration requirements to:
• Make clear that the medication administration requirements under the nursing services condition of participation (CoP) are related to only some components of the overall hospital medication process, but that hospitals are expected, through this and the related requirements under the pharmaceutical services and quality assessment/performance improvement CoPs, to take a comprehensive approach to the medication process.
• Update our guidance for IV medications and blood transfusions in general; and
• Reflect the need for patient risk assessment and appropriate monitoring during and after medication administration, particularly for post-operative patients receiving IV opioid medications, in order to prevent adverse events.
• Immediate Post-operative Care: Clarification is also being made to the guidance for the surgical services CoP requirement for hospitals to have adequate provisions for immediate post-operative care, to emphasize the need for post-operative monitoring of patients receiving IV opioid medications, regardless of where they are in the hospital.