The physician may order a specific dosage which cannot be changed without contacting him or her. When the pharmacy dispenses a narcotic, they must have a written prescription signed by the physician in order to release the narcotics to the patient. The nurse or other hospice professional must also carefully record exactly how much medication was given and when, and if there were any adverse side-effects noticed. The dangers of drug abuse are very real for any person who takes a medication which is not ordered for them. Suicides can occur.
Accidental deaths can occur.
And current drug addicts or alcoholics might be tempted to try these narcotic medications because someone forgot to lock them up and left them out in the open. They must be kept out of reach of children and others who could be injured or die by taking these medications. Be safe when narcotics are in the home. There are some hospice nurses and families who are haunted by the memory that they did not keep these medications out of reach, and that a child had to die because of that mistake. All narcotic medications and other medications must be disposed of at the time of a hospice patient's death.