What is an essential feature of safe medication storage?

An essential feature of safe medication storage is that medications must be kept in locked cabinets or areas. This practice helps to prevent unauthorized access and ensures that only trained and authorized personnel can access medications. Such security measures are crucial in preventing medication errors, misuse, or accidental ingestion by individuals who should not have access to these substances, such as children or those who may be at risk for substance abuse.

While storing medications at room temperature is a common storage guideline for many drugs, it does not provide a safety mechanism to protect the medications from being misused or accessed by unauthorized individuals. Storing medications in unlocked cabinets or areas poses similar risks, as it neglects the critical aspect of safety and security. Lastly, while certain medications do require refrigeration, not all medications need to be stored this way; thus, it does not encompass the broader requirement for securely storing all medications.