Which of the following is a sign of drug diversion?

• A. Patients report they did not receive medications.
• B. Consistent documentation of waste with proper sign-offs.
• C. Regular, accurate medication administration records.
• D. No unusual waste patterns observed.

Answer: (A)

Drug diversion shows up when medications go missing from the care process, and a patient reports they did not receive a medication they were prescribed. This kind of discrepancy between what’s ordered and what the patient actually got is a direct red flag that someone may have misused or diverted the drug, warranting immediate review of administration records, inventory, and access controls.

In contrast, consistent documentation of waste with proper sign-offs suggests that any disposed medication has been accounted for, not diverted. Regular, accurate medication administration records indicate meds were given as scheduled, and no unusual waste patterns observed points to stable inventory and proper handling. These scenarios reflect sound controls rather than a diversion signal.