Regulations on Refrigerators for Medication

Refrigerators housing certain medications must meet with standards set by the federal government. If refrigerated medication is not stored properly, it may be at risk for contamination or spoiling. Federal regulations are set up to limit or prevent such incidents from taking place. Following implemented guidelines will help health care facilities holding such medications to maintain compliance in relation to medical drug storage.

Temperature

• Temperature for medication refrigerators should be 3 to 5 degrees Celsius for medications. The refrigerator should have a working thermometer to verify temperatures are at proper levels at all times. Monitor alarms can alert the appropriate personnel when temperatures deviate from required levels. Even with monitor alarms in place, temperatures should be monitored and recorded each day, if possible, in rotating shifts. Refrigerators should also be plugged into red outlets for their power source. If plugged into a red outlet, the outlet can reset itself in case of an unexpected power surge or breaker trip.

Storage and Security

• Medication refrigerators should be keep under strict surveillance. This means the public or any other unauthorized personnel should not have open access to such refrigerators. Medications are to be stored in an organized fashion that allows for easy retrieval. They should also be stored therapeutically---according to use and not alphabetically---to decrease error in retrieval. Refrigerators must have ample space for storage and should only be used for the storage of medications and nothing else. Common medications that require refrigeration storage include insulin, tuberculosis skin tests, influenza vaccines and Ativan injections.

Maintenance

• Refrigerators that house medications should be maintained properly to guard against any safety hazards. A refrigerator cleaning must occur at least twice a month. During this time, expired, discontinued or unusable medications are disposed of. The refrigerator is then organized, the presence of the thermometer is reestablished and the absence of food items is verified. The unit is also assessed for overall safety hazards.