Regional Hospitals & Health Centers: Nurses Now Responsible for Methadone Distribution

The responsibility for distributing methadone has officially transitioned from pharmacy departments to nurses working in regional hospitals and health centers that offer this treatment to patients. This change is part of a new policy implemented by the Harm Reduction Unit, which designates nurses as the primary caregivers for administering methadone.

The announcement was communicated to nursing staff through a letter dated September 4th.

As part of this policy, nurses in community health centers will now oversee the “DD boxes,” which are designated for methadone distribution. In regional health centers, while the DD boxes are currently housed in the pharmacy department, they will soon fall under the purview of nursing staff.

Consequently, nurses will take on the responsibility of both distributing methadone and managing the relevant boxes.

The letter further clarified that as long as the DD boxes remain associated with the pharmacy, the titration process—the adjustment of methadone dosage—will be carried out by dispensers, while distribution will be handled by nurses.

A request has also been made to transfer the DD boxes from the Harm Reduction Unit to the nursing staff within one week.

In regional hospitals and Mediclinics where DD boxes are still the responsibility of pharmacists, additional boxes will be implemented for the Harm Reduction Unit.

The newly allocated DD boxes will be under the management of nurses, who will be responsible for both titration and distribution of methadone.

Until these new boxes are available, the current process will continue, with dispensers handling titration and nurses managing distribution.

This shift in responsibility is aimed at streamlining the methadone distribution process and ensuring that patients receive consistent and efficient care as part of the harm reduction strategy.

Source: Defi Media