Do you take the MAR into the patient's room with you?

[uscstu4lfe]

Our hospital says that you must take the MAR in with you (even when you've given the same patient the same medication for the 1 millionith time). I don't know if this is a state/nationwide policy? Anyway, do you always do it? The nurses on my floor do it when management is around - but when they're not, well, it's a different story :)

[Otessa, BSN, RN]

When I did direct patient care we took our MARS in with us. Ot was important when checking allergies and generic vs. trade name of a medication as well as the last time any medication was given.

otessa

[Otessa, BSN, RN]

I was part of the medication safety committee and it was part of our safe medication practices to bring the MAR to the bedside. We were wroking at implementing all of the safety measures brought forth by the IHI.

otessa

[donsterRN, ASN, BSN]

We're taught to do so in my program; we ALWAYS take the MAR. If we don't, we're in error. Especially if we're being tested; fellow students have failed the clinical exam at the end of the semester for leaving the MAR on the cart.

[ohmeowzer RN, RN]

yes i take the MAR and the unopened pills and open them and explain each one to the patient as i open them and sign them off...

[RheatherN, ASN, RN, EMT-P]

that is what we are supposed to do. whether ppl do it or not that a different story. i would like to, but our med carts are soo huge and the computers, if not plugged in, die on the way into the room! i wish i could just have my own little laptop, and go get meds from pxyis, i would do that! i would prefer that!

-H-

[nursegreen]

I take my MAR with me to the accudose and into the patient's room to verify unless they are in isolation. Usually, I will check everything and then place it on the desk right outside the room. I think it's very important to do this because patient's are not always in a position to verbally verify their information.

[daisydoll]

I always check my meds right before I go into the room, and leave them still wrapped so I can tell patients what they are getting. I usually don't bring the MAR in with me. I don't see other nurses on the floor doing this either. I am not sure if my hospital has a policy on this. If the patient has a lot of meds, I'll bring the MAR with me just to be sure.

[RazorbackRN, BSN, RN]

We don't have a choice. We have electronic MARS and in order to give the medication (read:document), you must first scan the barcode on the pt's armband and then the barcode on the med. So, we have laptops on wheels that go in each room.

[RN1989]

It is a JCAHO policy to take MARS to the room with you. They'll ding you bad if they catch you not doing it or if there is a med error and the investigation finds that the MAR did not go to the room.

[moongirl]

We don't have a choice. We have electronic MARS and in order to give the medication (read:document), you must first scan the barcode on the pt's armband and then the barcode on the med. So, we have laptops on wheels that go in each room.

:yeahthat: also.. it should be part of your 3rd check....

[EarthChild1130]

We don't have a choice. We have electronic MARS and in order to give the medication (read:document), you must first scan the barcode on the pt's armband and then the barcode on the med. So, we have laptops on wheels that go in each room.

Just out of curiosity, what do you do if a patient is in isolation? That sounds like a neat-o system though.

When I worked med/surg we took the MAR to each room unless a patient was in isolation, in which the MAR stayed in the ante-room. When I worked inpatient psych, patients came to the med room for meds and we had the MAR there with us. (If we had to go to someone's room or the seclusion room to give meds, there was always someone there with the MAR)