Confused about using the Pyxis mediction machine..

[Bala Shark]

Okay this is what I know, to get meds from Pyxis:

1. Press Remove Now

2 Enter Patient's name

3. Press Patient's name

4. Type of 4 front letters of the medication namem then press select next med to continue to get meds..

If you know only the BRAND name of the drug, what do you do?

I know their is an option of pressing brand name, can you eleborate?

[crb613, BSN, RN]

They are probally all a little different. I would just ask someone, and write it down for future use. Don't stress...its like anything else once you have done it a few times it will be no big deal. Good luck

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

I have a Pyxis also and it is differnet than what you are describing. I would just ask what the process is at this particular site. Good luck.

[suzanne4, RN]

Definitely ask at the facility, it depends on what software that they they have loaded. Where I am working now, we do not follow what you have posted.

[Bala Shark]

Oh, maybe I was not clear..I read my previous post and I made a lot of typos...I am just a student but all the Pyxis should be the same..To get meds, here is what I do:

1. press remove medication

2. type in patient's name..

3. press patient's name

4. type in medication, first 4-5 letters

5. press medication that you want

6. press select next med

7. type in medication, first 4-5 letters

8. press medication that you want

9.....repeat...

I was wondering if you know only the brand name of the drug, what do you do? I know the pyxis is programed to go by the generic name of the drug..But there is a brand name option in the bottom.

[VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN]

With OUR Pyxis system, between numbers 3 and 4 there is an option for generic versus brand name of medications. (Button tab at the bottom of the screen.) This can help immensely. But it is important to always have your current drug book nearby to look up the generic name, just in case the particular brand name is not listed.

[Bala Shark]

With OUR Pyxis system, between numbers 3 and 4 there is an option for generic versus brand name of medications. (Button tab at the bottom of the screen.) This can help immensely. But it is important to always have your current drug book nearby to look up the generic name, just in case the particular brand name is not listed.

I was wondering, do you press the brand name option, then type in the brand name drug, first 4-5 letters and find it?

And after that, do you press generic name option, to continue since the med list usually goes by the generic name and not the brand name..

See, in clinical, the list is stating the generic name in the majority of the time..

[VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN]

I was wondering, do you press the brand name option, then type in the brand name drug, first 4-5 letters and find it?

And after that, do you press generic name option, to continue since the med list usually goes by the generic name and not the brand name..

See, in clinical, the list is stating the generic name in the majority of the time..

With OUR version, you choose brand name or generic option, type in the first 4-5 letters and search for the correct medication. It you choose the brand name option, only the brand name will appear on the screen (example: Lasix). If you choose the generic option, then only that name will appear on the screen (example: furosemide). Sometimes you have to really search, going from brand name to generic and back again to find the correct medication. Usually it's not that complicated and you should get the hang of it pretty fast. I'm also a little curious - in all of the facilities in which we have clinicals, the students are not allowed access to the medication pyxis. Either the primary nurse or the instructor must procure the medications, never the student.

Remember: The main thing your instructor wants to know is not how proficient you are at using the Pyxis machine, but how well you can correlate the medications to your patient's condition (side effects, contraindications, lab values, vital signs, allergies, onset, peak, duration, etc.) and how safe you are with the medication delivery (six rights).

[letina]

I'm so glad someone started this thread. The hospital where I'll soon be working uses this system, and as a foreign nurse, it is completely new to me. So this is very helpful, thank you :)

[Runningnurse]

I think the most important thing to remember here is that every Pyxis machine is probably programmed a bit differently.

So to the original poster, don't look here for exact answers on your Pyxis...ask one of your instructors or a nurse on the floor. Otherwise, you risk getting misinformed!

[Boston-RN, RN]

If it's allowed, you should bring the MAR with you to the machine.....all the MAR's I've dealt with have both and you could just reference your MAR sheet for both names