Are you often 2 hours late for meds?

Published

Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

At 4 PM yesterday I picked up one patient from a nurse during the the shift shuffle at 3PM. She was going to fill in on the monitor desk so I got report on the patient at 1600.

She gave me a rather disorganized report, and let me know that, by the way, she hadn't given her 1400 meds yet, sorry, but would I follow up on that. The meds were two IV antibiotics and a SQ heparin.

She had had 4 patients and was passing them on to various nurses. It was basically a 10 minute task to get the meds and hang the antibiotics and give the heparin. The patient had two pumps and two IV sites, and it was a quick job to run in there, and also do some teaching with the family on what I was doing quickly, in addition to doing a quick assessment and explaining who I was and how long I would be the patient's nurse.

The nurse seemed rather nonchalant about being 2 hours late. I didn't want to make her feel bad, but to me I would have to have another patient going down the tubes to be 2 hours late on meds.

What do you think?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Meds need to be given according to policy. On my unit we have a plus or minus 1 hour rule. 2 hours late is unsat.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

No, I am not often two hours late. It does happen - say, if someone has three IVPBs scheduled for 2200 and one IV site - but I make a note as to the exception and why.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

The only time I'm ever two hours late on meds is if a patient is going down the tubes. You need to tell her that being late on antibiotics is unacceptable. Was she having a busy day that she got behind with meds? If not, it's unacceptable to be late on meds.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in psych, addictions, hospice, education.

Some places require a med error incident report on such a situation....

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

I don't think her day was extraordinarily busy. She was a floater from the cardiac care unit, but used to work telemetry so is familiar with the unit. That unit has a lot of fairly inexperienced nurses, I've floated there. This gal always seems a bit flustered and never asks for help. I've worked with her over there too.

I really don't like to be confrontational in report so I didn't say anything, just went and took care of business. I don't mind doing tasks left by others but I think meds should be given on time in usual circumstances.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

It happens. I wouldn't call another nurse on it unless I knew it was a regular occurrence.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Psych, Med/Surg, LTC.

It happens sometimes when someone goes bad, get several admits, or you have a climber and you are constantly trying to keep them safe... It has happened to me, but rarely on med/surg. It happened a million times working LTC... All it takes is one person to go bad or break a hip and there goes your med pass being anywhere near on time... Being a float, I would cut her slack, even if she had a perfect shift. I may get cranky about it, though, if it was a routine nurse on your shift doing it every day.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU, nutrition.

I'd cut her some slack since she was floating. Even if you are familiar with the unit, if you only work in there every six months or less you get out of practice, especially if you are accustomed to only having 2 patients and have twice that.

When I worked direct patient care, I got that far behind on meds very rarely, but it did happen. Usually with good reason, like no access or a patient went bad.

You did the right thing...jumped in and got it done. If you worked with this person regularly and she always did this, you might say something.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in paediatric and trauma.

if i'm ever late it's only usually late by 1 hour i have never been 2 hours late

Up Vote Up Vote ×

i've had terrible days when i finally finish my 0900 meds at 1130... but those days are rare (thank goodness). definitely not a regular occurence. NEVER have i been that late with an afternoon med.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Public Health, TB.

2 hours late is not that unusual for me for a variety of reasons:

#1 meds haven't arrived from pharmacy (daily occurence)

#2 pt gone to procedure

#3 No IV access

#4 admitting hasn't entered them in the computer

#5 forced to take my lunch and my breakbuddy doesn't have time to give them.

#6 admit arrives with chest pain

That being said, I will try my darnedest not to leave scheduled meds for the next shift.

Not to hijack the thread, but it's so frustrating to pick up pts from 3 different nurses and each has something that needs doing ASAP.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion