How should you handle medications during a facility relocation or shift change?

• A. Leave meds unsecured on a cart.
• B. Secure meds, verify MAR with incoming staff, transfer meds with proper documentation, and reconcile inventories.
• C. Refill all meds during transfer.
• D. Discard all meds before relocation.

Answer: (B)

The key idea is maintaining medication safety and continuity during a relocation or shift change by securing all medications, verifying the Medication Administration Record with the incoming staff, transferring meds with complete documentation, and reconciling inventories. Securing meds prevents loss, theft, or diversion and keeps them under proper control during the move. Verifying the MAR with the incoming team ensures everyone is aligned on what should be administered, dosages, and timing. Transferring meds with proper documentation creates a clear, auditable handoff so there’s a traceable record of what moved with the patient and what remains. Reconciling inventories confirms that counts match before and after the transfer, catching discrepancies early and maintaining accurate accountability.

Leaving meds unsecured on a cart jeopardizes safety and policy. Refilling all meds during transfer isn’t appropriate and can create dosing or supply errors. Discarding meds before relocation wastes needed medications and deprives patients of their prescribed therapy.