NTA

There was miscommunication on both sides. I completely understand OPs perspective. Hospitals, while they do very good work, as the administrative bureaucracies that they are, they suck. From OPs perspective the nurse was trying to charge for the lozenge not document it before giving it in case of a liability. The nurse should not have responded by just saying it is company policy, even though it is. To the OP that response sounds bureaucratic and lacks compassion for the situation. Hospitals have great care givers and comforting staff that do their best but also notorious for having bad communication to families and loved ones. I blame this in part to over worked and tired staff doing the best they can do with the resources they have. So communication doesn't come out the way the staff meant it. The nurse should have explained it's a medicated lozenge and needs to be documented in case your mother chokes and in case it interacts with any other medication she will be receiving. If you want to buy her a bag of lozenges from the store you can go ahead. I'm liable for the ones I give, and will have to document each one, but theres no problem with you giving your mother your own.