Challenge: Management of Class 2 Narcotics
As the largest fire department in the State of Nevada, Clark County provides emergency services to an area encompassing 7,910 square miles that includes the Las Vegas Strip and neighboring resort townships. They run a dual medical response system that incorporates their fire department and private ambulance companies operating under franchise agreements.
The State of Nevada mandates that all fire departments and private ambulance companies that run EMS calls must be under the oversight of an independent Medical Director and a QA Director. Dr. Dale Carrison, Emergency Medicine Physician at University Medical Center, oversees the medical direction of Clark County Fire Department. QA Director, Jo Ellen Hannom, RN, is instrumental in the physical tracking and coding of drugs as they arrive directly from the manufacturer. Jeff Reagor, Clark County EMS Supervisor, states, “Our controlled substances are obtained under Dr. Carrison’s license so it’s imperative we provide accountability for the drugs we use. We needed to know when our narcotic safes were being accessed and by whom.”
Solution: CyberLock
After researching available options, Clark County F.D. chose the CyberLock system for tracking their narcotics. Since May, 2008, they have installed CyberLocks on 25 narcotic safes in the fire stations themselves and 46 on rescue vehicle narcotic safes. Reagor shares, “The CyberLock system has been very easy for us to manage. Each time we get a new rescue vehicle, our division mechanics install a narcotic safe and the CyberLock cylinder in a matter of minutes.”
The CyberLock system’s electronic locks and keys record openings and unauthorized attempts to open their narcotic safes. The audit report allows the department to confirm that the responsible person is taking inventory, checking drug expiration dates, and insuring that the drugs have not been tampered with. Each narcotic safe has to be inventoried daily, in the morning during shift-change. If a safe has been opened any other time of the day, it must correspond with an emergency call.
Reagor states, “CyberLock has worked very well for Clark County. The accountability the system provides is extremely important to us. The department is very pleased with how CyberLock has helped us in the regulation and management of our Class 2 narcotics.”
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