We recently had a patient on suicide precautions who was on a fentanyl patch, which was disposed of incorrectly (in the trash vs. fold and flush). The concern was raised about the availability of concentrated drug to be ingested in this manner. As we thought more deeply, we became concerned about any topical patch used in this patient population. Anything could be ingested causing an overdose.
Have any of you addressed this? Do you utilize a suicide precaution checklist that might incorporate this?