Barcode Meds/Patient

Justhere, BSN, RN · Mar 25, 2006

We don't scan the barcode for meds (yet) but we do scan their arm band barcodes for accuchecks its better than having to punch in their patient ID's into the machine, if you push the wrong number you charge the wrong patient. We also have a scanner for taking out items for our patients instead of the yellow stickers that tend to walk out on the nurses uniforms.

LPN1974, LPN · Mar 25, 2006

We are going to a new system in a few days that will be like that. We will scan the meds and chart the meds in the computer. We won't have paper MARS anymore. We won't be able to scan our people tho. We are more like a LTC but it's for mentally/physically challenged so they won't have bracelets on.

We do have pictures of them, and the people will be required to be brought to us or come on their own if possible, ONE at a time for their meds.

I'm wondering how I am going to like it. I'm thinking now it might be better, because our MARS are very hard to read right now. During this change over process we've had 2 different kinds of MARS while we're waiting for this system to get started up. It's a mess and I'm ready to get on with something that works better.

eandgsma · Mar 25, 2006

My current clinical rotation has the barcode system. We like it but it might bite me in the butt on subsequent rotations due to no paper MAR. So what my clinical instructor has us do is run our "Due List" and use that as the MAR. Works fine for now. We'll see how confused I get next semester, LOL!

RedSox33RN · Mar 25, 2006

The hospital I work at barcodes all pt meds and fingersticks. The nurses love it and it has cut way down on med errors.

burn out · Mar 25, 2006

we have been barcoding meds/patient for over a year at our hospital and it really is much safer but you have to be careful and not become too dependent on the computer to do all your thnking . Sometime pharmacy puts the meds in wrong or meds get missed or meds are discontinued and still show up on the eMARS. You still have to be vigilant.

Hoozdo, ADN · Mar 25, 2006

Anyone out there have barcoding for administering meds to patients? We barcode at our hospital and as a new nurse I really like it. We scan all the meds and then scan the patient when we administer them. Just wondering how common this is.

The hospital I work at uses the bar code method. I like it except for a few drawbacks. The scanning device has to reach the patient's armband and that can be difficult if you have a patient in isolation. In emergency situations the last thing you have time to do is to scan drugs - the focus is to GIVE the drug, not to SCAN the drug :lol2: Sometimes a drug won't scan and then you have to manually overide - that's a minor inconvience. I miss a paper MAR, so the first thing I do after report is print a MAR by med scheduled times. All in all, I give the bar code system a thumbs up.

Zee_RN, BSN, RN · Mar 26, 2006

We scan meds, patients and ourselves. Also scan for accu-checks. I like the system; it really helps to catch med errors, I think. Of course, like everything, it has its drawbacks too. Nothing more frustrating than standing there, trying to get it to scan and for some reason, it won't! Scan, scan, scan, scan...*sigh* We can override but I really try not to. Most of our meds have barcodes but a few don't (Lovenox, for example).

And it always seems that the patient's barcode (on their name band) is turned the farthest away from you and in the most difficult spot to reach. And the patient is sleeping ... lol.

CarVsTree · Mar 26, 2006

Most of our meds have barcodes but a few don't (Lovenox, for example).

For those meds without barcodes or very small barcodes... they put in a little bag with a barcode. We still do have some meds that won't scan though. It will say the med is not ordered when it clearly is. That ALWAYS makes me nervous, 'cause then I think I'm missing something and maybe its not ordered when I think it is... But, we have a form we can send to pharmacy to correct the problems (when we have time to fill out the form of course).

lucky4timesover · Mar 26, 2006

At the hospital where I perform clinicals, we have a barcode system for the patient and the meds. For our patients in isolation, or sometimes when they are not, we use the barcode on their charge card in the nurse server. It seems to work well at the hospital, I can't remember the exact number, but it has decreased their med errors tremendously. I enjoy the sytem.

Sunny

mawlvn · Mar 26, 2006

We are using emar with computers on wheels. We scan the pt. armband before giving meds.

jetsetter · Mar 26, 2006

We've been using a barcode system for about a year now. Had some gliches to start with, but works pretty well now. Scan the armband (some of us cheat, put a sticker on our papers.... I know, I know.. put it can be impossible to scan the armband of a pt that's been in for a couple of days) scan the med.

My pet peeve is this. Have lots of pt's w/lots of meds. I start out on time, but of course granny has to pee..... the cutie next door needs coffee.... By the time I get to my last pt I'm late, computer speaking. We can give meds 1/2 hr before and 1/2 hour after. So if it's a 9:00 med, and its 9:31 in the computer, ( I swear my watch says 9:29!) each and every med has to have the REASON why its 'late'. time consuming if they have 10+ meds. and I'm sorry, just a little ridiculous. I have to free type in the reason. A genuine PIA ( pain in the a--)

The computer does have a bypass.... but administration can look up any/all nurses and see if you scanned or 'cheated'. to date noone has had anything said to them about this, but I know it's coming.

Some days I'm the picture perfect nurse, (from the computers point of view, all meds scanned).

But on days when the **** hits.... no way.....there just isnt enough time.

I'm all for new and improved, and definitely for pt safety, but its got to work easily and quickly.