The sad facts are that 10 -15% of health care workers have problems with substance abuse. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) implemented a set compliances for all long-term care (LTC) facilities and other institutions to be fully compliant with a new set of guidelines governing the management, storage, and distribution of all controlled medications. CMS has developed the new rules in response to the growing problem of drug diversion, theft, and addiction. Drug diversion programs are designed to help drug offenders avoid conviction and a criminal record. These programs work by removing first-time, low-level drug defendants from the criminal justice system and/or loss licensure.

Learner Objectives:

1. Improve control medication diversion awareness including options for monitoring and auditing for diversion
2. Identify options available to assist with diversion identification
3. Discuss how diversion can impact the resident/patient
4. Highlight the impact of the COVID pandemic on diversion
5. Discuss opportunities for diversion prevention
6. Examine available support tools and resources

Nurse Learner Outcome:

• At the conclusion of this session on the evaluation, participants will self-report a knowledge gain related to drug diversion auditing, monitoring, prevention, impacts and resources.