Computerized MAR

[paullissa]

My work now had the MAR on computer. It seems to me that it's taking more time to give pills but at least people are signing off the medicine they give. I'm just afraid the computers are going to crash and then what are we going to do then?

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

Every facility should have a P&P for computerized MAR. In the P&P, there should be a contingency plan if the computers go down. It's usually as simple as printing out the MAR. Check with your supervisor.

[chrisrn24]

Every facility should have a P&P for computerized MAR. In the P&P, there should be a contingency plan if the computers go down. It's usually as simple as printing out the MAR. Check with your supervisor.

I believe my facility does that as well. There are backup plans. Ask your charge or ADON/DON.

At first, it is slow with the eMAR but then it gets faster once you learn it.

[tokebi]

I'm curious about eMAR in LTC setting. Do you scan the ID band and each med?

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

There are several different systems available. One uses a bar code scanner. The system we currentky use does not. It's still the same ...read the MAR, check the card, check again, pour the med, give the med, sign it off.

[CT Pixie, BSN, RN]

My facility has a computerized MAR/TAR but we don't have the bar code scanner.

If the computer crashes we have paper MAR/TAR we can print out and use. In all the years I've worked with this facility I've only had to resort to using a paper MAR one time...and those med passes took forever for me! Merely for the fact that the computer will bring up on the selected times you want the meds taken from, the MAR you have to go through it and pick out the meds for your time. IMO way too much room for error with paper MARs.

[JZ_RN]

When I worked LTC the computers went down for hours sometimes at night. No meds could be passed, no treatments, no charting, nothing. Sit on your butt with a notebook and do rounds for falls and fill water pitchers, turn patients and change briefs. Would have been nice except I knew some people needed meds but even if I know the schedule I'm not doing it with no mar or tar to cross check (every time no matter what! sometimes it changes, rarely, but it happens) and I knew I'd be staying behind hours to chart the mess afterwards and do txs. No one ever came to help or got us paper mars/tars or gave a crap at all. Don't wake up management. Just be totally screwed over. No overtime by the way.

[chrisrn24]

I'm curious about eMAR in LTC setting. Do you scan the ID band and each med?

Our residents don't wear ID bands since the nursing home is their home. We use photo identification.