Barcode Scanning

Nurses Safety

Published

Hello everyone,

I'm working on a scholarly paper and the purpose of this paper is to prove base on evidence that using barcode scanning helps decrease medication errors. Please, if you know any websites that provide evidence-based resources regarding this topic, share them with me. Or, let me know what measures your hospital is taking to decrease medication errors and if there were any outcomes positive or negative.

Thanks

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Specializes in ED, Med-Surg, Psych, Oncology, Hospice.

We scan the patient's armband and then scan their medications. I don't think we have alot of med errors because all our meds are in the Pyxxis. Last place I worked only PRN, narcs and new med orders were gotten from the Pyxxis, all the rest were loaded into a locked med cart by pharmacy.

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Specializes in LTC, Neurology, Rehab, Pain Management,.

I work for the VA, which has been using the BCMA system for 10 - 11 years. Everything is scanned, even the pts. treatment creams and ointments. We have the Omni cell for narcotics which is like a pyxxis from what I hear. It is so difficult to return to paper once you go electronic. We do have a back up contingency plan on paper which is updated and ready to go in case we have a power outage and the generators can't hold us for our wireless notebooks that are located on our medcarts. BCMA is a terrific system, there are times when computers are tired and not running optimally. The previous shift sometimes forget to plug them in to keep the batteries charged.

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BCMA is the way to go......Another VA nurse....

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Specializes in ICU, ER, EP,.

I hated the scanning system. Here is how it saved me from a med error- IN the pyxis I pulled what I thought to be three individually wrapped lopressor. Well the space was refilled wrong and there were 50 mg and 25mg all mixed in. THe scanner caught the dosing difference before I did. NOw I could argue that without the scanner I would have been diligent performing the 5 'rights', but that is one example.

I'm fearful of our new nurses who have only relied on the safety of the barcode scanning system and lack the fear of being the only stop of a medication error if the system goes down. Simply pull, scan and administer vrs check, recheck, bring the meds to the bedside, check again..... Overall a great system that I didn't buy into at first, but we nurses rarely support change, at first.:D

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Specializes in Critical Care Nursing AKA ICU.
I hated the scanning system. Here is how it saved me from a med error- IN the pyxis I pulled what I thought to be three individually wrapped lopressor. Well the space was refilled wrong and there were 50 mg and 25mg all mixed in. THe scanner caught the dosing difference before I did. NOw I could argue that without the scanner I would have been diligent performing the 5 'rights', but that is one example.

I'm fearful of our new nurses who have only relied on the safety of the barcode scanning system and lack the fear of being the only stop of a medication error if the system goes down. Simply pull, scan and administer vrs check, recheck, bring the meds to the bedside, check again..... Overall a great system that I didn't buy into at first, but we nurses rarely support change, at first.:D

not to be mean but isn't part of the 5 rights of medication administration to LOOK at the drug to make sure that it is the RIGHT DOSE.

but to the OP most places that i work scan by placing a patient barcode on the computer from which the nurse is working on and scanning that one and not the one that is actually on the patient... i know it defeats the purpose but when you have two patients one that just came out of the OR from a TAAA and another that is on a CVVHD. you do what you have to do...

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Specializes in Peds, PACU, ICU, ER, OB, MED-Surg,.

Scanning medications do help prevent administration errors but mistakes can still be made. The doctor writes the incorrect dosage. Pharmacy puts in the incorrect dosage. Nursing approves the incorrect dosage. Humans still control over aspects of the scanning system so it will never be fool proof. We still have to be diligent about checking our orders. Example: 2 month old, order written is 120mg of amp. Pharmacy placed the order for 1200mg in the emar system and sent the dosage. If I had not been checking my orders this dosage would have reached the patient. Many people now believe it is full proof but mistakes are still made.

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I know of hospitals in my state (Wisconsin) that have purchased the Barcode Scanning system, after sentinal events happened in these hospitals. We have three good sized hospitals in our area, out of these only one has the barcode scanning system! If I ever need to be hospitalized, that is the one I have instructed my family to take me to. I do believe this system has saved lives, and decreased medication errors. Still, even with this system errors can and do occur. I would suggest contacting hospitals in your area, speaking with a patient representative and asking about the statistics regarding the system?

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Barcodes are just one more safety measure, we all still do the 3 checks...I neeeeeed....., I haaaavvveeeeee...lol. I like the idea of barcodes, been using them on our accuchecks and love having to not type all those numbers in.

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