59-2976. Administration of medications and other treatments. (a) Medications and other treatments shall be prescribed, ordered and administered only in conformity with accepted clinical practice. Medication shall be administered only upon the written order of a physician or upon a verbal order noted in the patient's medical records and subsequently signed by the physician. The attending physician shall review regularly the drug regimen of each patient under the physician's care and shall monitor any symptoms of harmful side effects. Prescriptions for psychotropic medications shall be written with a termination date not exceeding 30 days thereafter but may be renewed.

(b) During the course of treatment the responsible physician or psychologist or such person's designee shall reasonably consult with the patient, the patient's legal guardian, or a minor patient's parent and give consideration to the views the patient, legal guardian or parent expresses concerning treatment and any alternatives. No medication or other treatment may be administered to any voluntary patient without the patient's consent, or the consent of such patient's legal guardian or of such patient's parent if the patient is a minor.

(c) Consent for medical or surgical treatments not intended primarily to treat a patient's mental disorder shall be obtained in accordance with applicable law.

(d) Whenever any patient is receiving treatment pursuant to K.S.A. 59-2954, 59-2958, 59-2959, 59-2964, 59-2966 or 59-2967 and amendments thereto, and the treatment facility is administering to the patient any medication or other treatment which alters the patient's mental state in such a way as to adversely affect the patient's judgment or hamper the patient in preparing for or participating in any hearing provided for by this act, then two days prior to and during any such hearing, the treatment facility may not administer such medication or other treatment unless such medication or other treatment is necessary to sustain the patient's life or to protect the patient or others. Prior to the hearing, a report of all such medications or other treatment which have been administered to the patient, along with a copy of any written consent(s) which the patient may have signed, shall be submitted to the court. Counsel for the patient may preliminarily examine the attending physician regarding the administration of any medication to the patient within two days of the hearing with regard to the affect that medication may have had upon the patient's judgment or ability to prepare for or participate in the hearing. On the basis thereof, if the court determines that medication or other treatment has been administered which adversely affects the patient's judgment or ability to prepare for or participate in the hearing, the court may grant to the patient a reasonable continuance in order to allow for the patient to be better able to prepare for or participate in the hearing and the court shall order that such medication or other treatment be discontinued until the conclusion of the hearing, unless the court finds that such medication or other treatment is necessary to sustain the patient's life or to protect the patient or others, in which case the court shall order that the hearing proceed.

(e) Whenever a patient receiving treatment pursuant to K.S.A. 59-2954, 59-2958, 59-2959, 59-2964, 59-2966 or 59-2967 and amendments thereto, objects to taking any medication prescribed for psychiatric treatment, and after full explanation of the benefits and risks of such medication continues their objection, the medication may be administered over the patient's objection; except that the objection shall be recorded in the patient's medical record and at the same time written notice thereof shall be forwarded to the medical director of the treatment facility or the director's designee. Within five days after receiving such notice, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, the medical director or designee shall deliver to the patient and the patient's physician the medical director's or designee's written decision concerning the administration of that medication, and a copy of that decision shall be placed in the patient's medical record.

(f) In no case shall experimental medication be administered without the patient's consent, which consent shall be obtained in accordance with subsection (a)(6) of K.S.A. 59-2978 and amendments thereto.

History: L. 1996, ch. 167, § 32; Apr. 18.