Decreasing Medication Passes to BID from TID

[brcompton]

I work in a county jail (approx. 120 inmates currently) and since arriving there we have reduced our med passes from four times per day to three. It has allowed for more to be done on days considerably; however, with only two RN's we are still behind on getting our physicals done in a timely manner which is not acceptable to me.

The reason we are unable to complete physicals in a fashionable amount of time is the computer system we currently use now separates the medical intake from the actual physical. There is nothing I can do about the computer system we are using.

I recently recieved a DOC inmate who stated their med passes were only BID. Does anyone have any experience with just doing med passes twice a day? Is it done in any other facilities?

[Orca, ADN, ASN, RN]

I work in a state prison system. We do everything possible to avoid TID medication orders. almost no medications require it, and when we do encounter such an order it is usually of limited duration (no more than seven days). Our mid-day pill pass is insignificant, because the doctors are on board with what we are trying to do.

[NottaSpringChik, BSN, RN]

I also work in County jail of over 300 inmates. Standard administration is bid with few exceptions. exceptions are for diabetics and withdrawal protocols, some psych medications. others are case by case but in general we stick to bid. We do thorough intake questionaire and VS on every person coming in. physicals are within 2 weeks.

[ChuckeRN, BSN, RN]

We have 5300 inmates in our prison and TID for Watch Swallow meds are impossible for nurses and no go for Security so the meds are always divided into 2 doses.

[OldcootRN]

Just left a position that we PRAYED for only BID passes (600+ inmates). We had a doc that decided that it would be "fun" to watch us run around trying to do QID meds that could have been done BID with no clinical consequenses. He told a mutual friend of mine he did that to keep the nurses busy and to keep them from doing nurse call and making referals to him. Yup, glad I'm gone from that place.

[mtsteelhorse]

I'm in a tiny county jail. We do BID med passes except for special circumstances. It works fine, allows for ample clinic time and helps detention staff. Everybody wins.

[luckyzhp]

Both small local jails I have worked try to maintain BID at all times. One facility has a nurse on duty 8am-2pm, but on call 24/7. The other larger facility has 6am-6pm nurse with BID med pass.