Checklist template

Veterinary pharmacy and inventory management

A ready-to-use checklist with 115 items in 6 sections, covering Ordering, Expiry, Labelling, Dispensing, Storage, Counts. Use it as-is in InspectLoop, or adapt it to your own standards in minutes.

  • 6 Sections
  • 115 Items
  • 93 Yes / No checks
  • 6 Scored ratings
  • 123 Points

Use this template How audits work

1. Ordering 18 items

  1. Vaccine orders are sized so that the refrigerator is not filled beyond the stock level set by company policy Yes / No 1 pt
  2. A reorder point and a reorder quantity are set in the practice software for each stocked drug Yes / No 1 pt
  3. Orders are placed on fixed days of the week Yes / No 1 pt
  4. A reorder tag or want list at the shelf is used when an item reaches its reorder point Yes / No 1 pt
  5. Drugs are bought only from the distributors approved by the company Yes / No 1 pt
  6. Drug deliveries are signed for by an employee and never left unattended at the door Yes / No 1 pt
  7. Each delivered drug is checked for the ordered strength and package size before it is shelved Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Refrigerated deliveries (vaccines, insulin) are unpacked on arrival Yes / No 1 pt
  9. Received quantities are entered in the software before the stock is shelved Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Compounded medications are ordered only from a compounding pharmacy approved by the company Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Backordered drugs carry an alert in the practice software that names the approved alternative Yes / No 1 pt
  12. New products are added to the formulary only with the medical director's approval Yes / No 1 pt
  13. The client is called on the day a special-order medication arrives Yes / No 1 pt
  14. The temperature indicator in each refrigerated shipment is checked and recorded on receipt Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Manufacturer recall notices are checked against stock, with the action taken recorded Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Formulary items out of stock at the time of the visit Number
  17. Days of inventory on hand shown by the software Number
  18. Ordering discipline Rating
    • Orders follow reorder points, few stock-outs 5 pts
    • Ordering by eye, some stock-outs or overstock 3 pts
    • Frequent stock-outs or emergency orders 1 pt

2. Expiry 19 items

  1. Every shelf, refrigerator and emergency kit is checked for expiry dates once a month Yes / No 1 pt
  2. Date of the last expiry check Date
  3. Items expiring within 3 months are marked with a colored sticker Yes / No 1 pt
  4. The shortest-dated package of each drug is at the front of the shelf Yes / No 1 pt
  5. Items sampled for expiry during the visit Number
  6. Expired items found in usable stock Number
  7. Expired drugs are held in a labeled bin separate from usable stock Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Expired drugs are sent to a reverse distributor or destroyed as required by local regulation Yes / No 1 pt
  9. Expired stock is written off in the software with a reason code Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Multi-dose vials are marked with the date first punctured Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Punctured multi-dose vials are discarded after the period set by hospital policy Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Reconstituted vaccines are used within the time stated on the package insert Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Reconstituted oral suspensions are labeled with a discard date Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Compounded preparations carry a beyond-use date Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Opened eye and ear medications for hospital use are dated when opened Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Spiked fluid bags are dated and discarded after the period set by hospital policy Yes / No 1 pt
  17. The lot number of each vaccine given is recorded in the patient record Yes / No 1 pt
  18. Items expiring within the next 3 months found during the visit Number
  19. Control of expiry dates Rating
    • No expired stock, checks recorded 5 pts
    • Checks recorded but short-dated stock not flagged 3 pts
    • Expired items found on the shelves 1 pt

3. Labelling 18 items

  1. Every dispensed prescription has a label printed from the practice software Yes / No 1 pt
  2. The label gives the hospital's name, address and phone number Yes / No 1 pt
  3. The label names the prescribing veterinarian Yes / No 1 pt
  4. The label gives the client's name, the patient's name and the species Yes / No 1 pt
  5. The label gives the drug name, strength and quantity Yes / No 1 pt
  6. Directions are written in plain words, without abbreviations such as BID or PO Yes / No 1 pt
  7. The label gives the date dispensed and the expiry date Yes / No 1 pt
  8. The label states the number of refills remaining Yes / No 1 pt
  9. Auxiliary stickers (Shake well, Refrigerate, Give with food, For veterinary use only) are on the containers that need them Yes / No 1 pt
  10. The label does not cover the lot number or expiry date on the manufacturer's packaging Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Tablets repackaged into vials carry the lot number of the stock bottle Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Child-resistant containers are used as required by local regulation Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Liquid medications are dispensed with an oral syringe marked at the dose Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Bottles filled in the hospital (diluted chlorhexidine, alcohol, saline) are labeled with contents, concentration and date Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Look-alike and sound-alike drugs are separated on the shelf or marked with a warning sticker Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Chemotherapy and other hazardous drugs carry a hazard sticker Yes / No 1 pt
  17. Shelf labels give the drug name and strength Yes / No 1 pt
  18. Label accuracy on 5 filled prescriptions sampled Rating
    • All 5 complete and correct 5 pts
    • 1 or 2 with a missing element 3 pts
    • Wrong or handwritten labels found 1 pt

4. Dispensing 21 items

  1. Each prescription filled today is backed by a veterinarian's order in the medical record Yes / No 1 pt
  2. A second employee checks each filled prescription against the order before it is bagged Yes / No 1 pt
  3. The initials of the filler and the checker are recorded Yes / No 1 pt
  4. Tablets are counted on a tray with a spatula, not by hand Yes / No 1 pt
  5. The counting tray is wiped after penicillins and sulfa drugs Yes / No 1 pt
  6. A separate counting tray is kept for chemotherapy drugs Yes / No 1 pt
  7. Tablets are split with a tablet splitter Yes / No 1 pt
  8. The remaining refills and the date of the last exam are checked before a refill is filled Yes / No 1 pt
  9. Refills beyond those authorized are approved by a veterinarian Yes / No 1 pt
  10. A drug information sheet is given with each new medication Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Prescriptions awaiting pick-up are kept behind the counter in alphabetical order Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Prescriptions awaiting pick-up that need refrigeration carry a tag in the bin Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Uncollected prescriptions are returned to stock and credited after the number of days set by hospital policy Yes / No 1 pt
  14. A written prescription is provided on request for an outside pharmacy, as required by local regulation Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Requests from online pharmacies are answered within the time set by company policy Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Clients taking home chemotherapy drugs are given written handling instructions Yes / No 1 pt
  17. Medications returned by clients are not put back into stock Yes / No 1 pt
  18. Dispensing errors are recorded in a log reviewed by the medical director Yes / No 1 pt
  19. Dispensing errors recorded in the last 3 months Number
  20. The dose of each weight-based prescription is checked against the weight recorded at the latest visit Yes / No 1 pt
  21. Dispensing practice observed Rating
    • Ordered, double-checked and explained 5 pts
    • Correct but no second check 3 pts
    • Filled without an order or check 1 pt

5. Storage 20 items

  1. Clients cannot reach or enter the pharmacy area Yes / No 1 pt
  2. Drugs are shelved in one consistent order (alphabetical by generic name or by drug class) Yes / No 1 pt
  3. Pharmacy room temperature is between 68°F and 77°F (20°C and 25°C) Yes / No 1 pt
  4. Pharmacy room temperature (°F or °C) Number
  5. The drug refrigerator has a minimum-maximum thermometer Yes / No 1 pt
  6. The drug refrigerator is between 36°F and 46°F (2°C and 8°C) Yes / No 1 pt
  7. Drug refrigerator temperature (°F or °C) Number
  8. The refrigerator temperature log has an entry for each working day of the last 30 days Yes / No 1 pt
  9. No vaccine is stored in the refrigerator door or against the cooling plate Yes / No 1 pt
  10. The drug refrigerator holds no food or drink Yes / No 1 pt
  11. The employee asked can explain what to do with vaccines after a refrigerator failure Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Light-sensitive drugs are kept in their cartons or in amber containers Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Topical products are shelved apart from oral and injectable drugs Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Disinfectants and cleaning chemicals are not stored with drugs Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Chemotherapy drugs are kept in a separate labeled bin Yes / No 1 pt
  16. All stock is at least 6 in (15 cm) off the floor Yes / No 1 pt
  17. Each bin holds one drug in one strength Yes / No 1 pt
  18. Overstock locations are labeled and recorded in the software Yes / No 1 pt
  19. Drugs for hospital use only (injectables, anesthetics) are stored apart from the stock for dispensing Yes / No 1 pt
  20. Storage conditions in the pharmacy Rating
    • Orderly, in temperature range and secure 5 pts
    • In range but crowded or mixed bins 3 pts
    • Out of temperature range or open to clients 1 pt

6. Counts 19 items

  1. Cycle counts follow a written schedule that covers every item at least once a year Yes / No 1 pt
  2. The 20 items of highest value are counted every month Yes / No 1 pt
  3. Date of the last cycle count of the drug refrigerator Date
  4. Count variances are investigated before the quantity in the software is changed Yes / No 1 pt
  5. Quantity adjustments require the inventory manager's login and a reason code Yes / No 1 pt
  6. The practice manager reviews the adjustment report each month Yes / No 1 pt
  7. Items counted during the visit Number
  8. Items counted that matched the software quantity Number
  9. Variance at the last full count (% of inventory value) Number
  10. The unit in the software (tablet, mL, vial) matches the unit in which the item is dispensed Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Injectables used in the hospital are deducted from stock through the treatment codes on the invoice Yes / No 1 pt
  12. A written rule states how opened bottles are counted Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Stock kept in exam rooms and the treatment area is included in the counts Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Free goods and samples are entered in the software at zero cost Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Drugs on backorder at the time of the visit Number
  16. Items with no sales in 6 months have been reviewed for return or removal Yes / No 1 pt
  17. Name of the inventory manager Short text
  18. Overall control of drug stock and dispensing Rating
    • Stock in date, counts matching and every prescription checked 5 pts
    • Minor count variances or labeling gaps 3 pts
    • Expired stock, unchecked prescriptions or large variances found 1 pt
  19. Corrective actions required in the pharmacy Comments

About this template

This checklist is part of the InspectLoop template library. Yes / No checks score 1 point when met; ratings score the points shown for each option. The overall score is the percentage of points earned, with N/A answers excluded. In InspectLoop you can add photos, assign corrective actions, require sign-off and compare results across sites.

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