What is necessary to ensure consistency in determining beyond-use dates?

Having written policies and procedures in place is essential for ensuring consistency in determining beyond-use dates. These documents provide clear and standardized guidelines that all staff must follow, which helps to minimize variability in practice and reinforces the importance of compliance with established protocols.

Written policies articulate the rationale for beyond-use dates, including the criteria for establishing them based on stability studies, storage conditions, and other relevant factors. They also serve as references for training and onboarding new staff, ensuring that everyone is aware of the same principles and practices. By relying on a documented standard, facilities can maintain quality control and facilitate compliance with regulations, which is critical in sterile compounding to prevent contamination and ensure patient safety.

Other options may contribute to the process in different ways, but they do not provide the structured approach that written policies and procedures offer. Verbal agreements are informal and can lead to misunderstandings, while regular training sessions rely on the existence of clear documentation to be effective. Using a central database may help in tracking and managing data but does not establish the foundational guidelines needed for consistent practice.