[madwife2002]

Originally Posted by english_nurse

I STILL PUSH ONE

How I miss the simple things in life

[madwife2002]

Here there is a computerised machine which spits out controlled drugs out at you. Once I hit the 2 twice and it was like I had won the lottery you should have heard me screaming but it wasnt for joy it was for fear that the machine had gone crazy. I was shouting help help the machine is dispensing hundreds of pills what am I goint do, never thought it was my error 22 in all

[english_nurse]

Originally Posted by madwife2002

How I miss the simple things in life

r u saying im simple???




you may be right

[suzanne7575]

I just wishj they would make their mind up where i am ehat they are doing, trolley or lockers? Atthe moment they have some named meds in the locker cupboard and some in the trolley, and being a bank nurse i seem to be spoending far too much time hunting for drugs and working out wether i should be administering at the bedisde or on the trolley. Some wards i work on though, they have a huge cupboard in the treatment room and you take your drug cards into their and do the patients meds then take them out to them.

[ayla2004]

Originally Posted by Alexk49

I have watched a show on BBC America, No Angels. .
Last question...... when passing medications the nurses push an open medication cart. I am assuming that this is all made up.

#

Oh and the ward in question in the show is a Medical Assesment UnitMAU
pt in my trust who come in via the A&E (ER) are commonly placed their sometimes for observations sometimes until thye ca n be scene by the medical speciality and moved to their ward. These wards are helping reduced long waits in A&E improve which considering hosptical get fined if a pt is not seen and treated or admitted in 4 hours from booking into A&E

so as emergencys their is often no time to get patients own drugs and use stock.

[ayla2004]

madwife
have seen a computer system in A&E for controlled drugs
each nurse gets a account and pin. but pharmacy hates it as it takes ages to fill up and they still have a controlled drug cupboard and its well used.
but a liverpool A&E department has one that does more than this even calpol
pt hospital no etc are entered against the medicine and a report can be sent to the GP

[traumaRUs]

In the US, we have the computerized drug dispensing system on every floor, at least one and sometimes more than one depending on the size of the floor or unit. Every RN has their own access code so that drug dispensation is tracked by nurse that takes the meds and the pt that receives it. Some hospitals even have bar codes (like at the grocery store) on their bracelet.

No one is allowed to take their own meds. if they are able to self-administer meds, they don't get to be in the hospital.

[suzanne7575]

Well knowing the NHS and the wy it takes forever to get the drugs you need for a patient, and the fact things are always running out and having to be borrowed from other wards i can imagine the scenario with a computerised drug machine after inputing the patients requirements

'computer says no'

[RGN1]

Originally Posted by suzanne7575

'computer says no'

OMG - that's JUST what came straight to my mind while reading those posts!!

As for patients who are able to self-medicate not being "allowed" in that's silly. For example - take a patient in for planned surgery - e.g. hysterectomy - and they've been an insulin controlled diabetic for 20+ years surely they are in a much better position to keep control of their diabetic medications - other than in the 1st 24 hours when they may be on sliding scale etc???

Same goes for asthmatics & many cancer patients. I think there is a good case for allowing sensible patients to carry on managing their conditions without my interference - which could potentially actually cause more harm? For example we do drug rounds at set times - suppose the patient has actually been taking their regular meds for the last 20 years at different times - it could theoretically leave them vulnerable to hypo/hypers etc of whatever condition they have.

Anyhow - I'm sure I'm going to get in a lovely mess with those computerised USA systems - I reckon I'll out-do your 22 tablets Madwife with no problem!!!

[Duckyaryj]

On my unit if we know that a patient has a certain regimen we try to accommodate as much as possible. for example if a pt takes a med at night instead of the morning we just note it on the chart and change the time on the Medication Administration Record.