not counting narcotics anymore

[Betty_SPN_KS, LPN]

I went to work last night and found out we don't have to count all narcotics anymore, just certain ones. I am puzzled. I thought it was required by the state or something?

We used to spend several minutes at each shift change counting them, mostly Lortab and Ativan for our residents. But now we only count Duragesic patches and certain drugs, like morphine or something. I find it odd to have to count the patches. Seems someone would be more likely to steal a pill than a patch.

[Betty_SPN_KS, LPN]

I went to work last night and found out we don't have to count all narcotics anymore, just certain ones. I am puzzled. I thought it was required by the state or something?

We used to spend several minutes at each shift change counting them, mostly Lortab and Ativan for our residents. But now we only count Duragesic patches and certain drugs, like morphine or something. I find it odd to have to count the patches. Seems someone would be more likely to steal a pill than a patch.

[z's playa]

I've been reading aout nurses who steal patches all the time...even off of the clients. They lick them. But yeah that seems a little strange to say some narcotics are more prone to thievery than others. The nurses here have to count everything classified as a narcotic or controlled substance.

[z's playa]

I've been reading aout nurses who steal patches all the time...even off of the clients. They lick them. But yeah that seems a little strange to say some narcotics are more prone to thievery than others. The nurses here have to count everything classified as a narcotic or controlled substance.

[talaxandra]

We used to just count schedule 8's (narcotics) but a few months ago, after a couple of scandals in the state about drug using nurses, we now have a new schedule: 11, drugs of dependency (I think) - benzos, ketamine etc. The 8s are in a safe, the 11s in a locked cupboard, both in a room only accessible by swipe card.

We single check all meds here, but a count is done of the 8s and the 11s every shift change.

[talaxandra]

We used to just count schedule 8's (narcotics) but a few months ago, after a couple of scandals in the state about drug using nurses, we now have a new schedule: 11, drugs of dependency (I think) - benzos, ketamine etc. The 8s are in a safe, the 11s in a locked cupboard, both in a room only accessible by swipe card.

We single check all meds here, but a count is done of the 8s and the 11s every shift change.

[chad75]

Color me shocked, having worked agency and being an avid job hopper I've been in lots of different facilitys, I have never been somewhere that didn't count all controlled drugs. Some even counted things like phenegran that aren't controlled but have potential for abuse.

You said you aren't counting lortabs etc.? The guidlines for narcotic administration and storage are federally mandated if I remember right (not sure so take it with a grain salt) so I would think no matter what state you worked in you would have to count all controls, especially things like lortab etc.

[chad75]

Color me shocked, having worked agency and being an avid job hopper I've been in lots of different facilitys, I have never been somewhere that didn't count all controlled drugs. Some even counted things like phenegran that aren't controlled but have potential for abuse.

You said you aren't counting lortabs etc.? The guidlines for narcotic administration and storage are federally mandated if I remember right (not sure so take it with a grain salt) so I would think no matter what state you worked in you would have to count all controls, especially things like lortab etc.

[CHATSDALE]

things go from countable to no need to count...last year [we had a ding bat don] we were counting vistaril....this has now been changed....we have always counted lortab., sleep meds like ambien/restoril...some things have moved to prn drawer..ultram etc

[CHATSDALE]

things go from countable to no need to count...last year [we had a ding bat don] we were counting vistaril....this has now been changed....we have always counted lortab., sleep meds like ambien/restoril...some things have moved to prn drawer..ultram etc

[MandyInMS]

Color me shocked too...lol

We count all controlled substances each shift. Too much abuse potential NOT to...kinda scarey :/

[MandyInMS]

Color me shocked too...lol

We count all controlled substances each shift. Too much abuse potential NOT to...kinda scarey :/