Forgetting to chart PRN narcotics or other PRN meds

lpnflorida · Mar 5, 2009

I love your idea, if only all the electronics we use would talk to each other so to speak. take a blood sugar automatically have it registered on the patients records. Blood pressure, medications as you have already mentioned. Our charting at this point even with computers is so redundent at times. We chart things two and three times just to make sure it is in the right spot. Why cannot things flow to the correct places within the patients computerized chart.

As to your question have I ever forgotten to chart on the computer that I gave a prn medication, Yes ,quilty.

lolalolacherrycola · Mar 5, 2009

You would think with all the technology out there something could be done to do these things....maybe an idea to pursue; we would be rich, rich, rich...

1scubagirl, RN · Mar 7, 2009

My hospital recently switched to a system called PPID(positive patient identification). It's quite simple. Every med is barcoded. You bring a computer to the bedside with your meds, open the pt profile, scan the pt's wrist band(which is also barcoded), scan the med, administer to the pt, and presto you have charted! Each Nurse is tracked with their compliance and unfortunately written up if they don't follow the rules. It has worked out really well preventing med errors. It takes some getting used to, but overall it is a great system. We use the computer for report and can see on our task list that a med isn't charted, so we can call a Nurse on it right there.

I do the narcotic audits on my unit daily, randomly tracking Nurse's and Intensivists to see if they are charting the meds as well as getting witnesses to wastes, etc. I rarely have to write up someone, so my point is the system has improved how we administer and chart meds.

GooeyRN, ADN, BSN, CNA, LPN, RN · Mar 7, 2009

The last place I worked, a little box would pop up when you pulled a prn, asking why you were giving it. So we typed in the reason. But then we STILL had to hand chart the time and WHY we gave it. :zzzzz

Virgo_RN, BSN, RN · Mar 7, 2009

Yes to all four.

lolalolacherrycola · Mar 7, 2009

Yes to all four.

Thanks Virgo!

I have to laugh at how few have answered this poll and just shake my head because I don't know why alot of nurses have trouble admitting to be human...so many martyrs and saints out there! :smokin:

I know it is common because we have so much double charting to do. I have followed nurses that have forgotten to chart off prns and daily meds; our computer charting system even has a way to sign it off "for another nurse" and I have done this for others.

At any rate...Thanks for even answering and for your honesty!

lolalolacherrycola · Mar 7, 2009

The double charting gets so redundant....

lolalolacherrycola · Mar 7, 2009

1scubagirl said:

My hospital recently switched to a system called PPID(positive patient identification). It's quite simple. Every med is barcoded. You bring a computer to the bedside with your meds, open the pt profile, scan the pt's wrist band(which is also barcoded), scan the med, administer to the pt, and presto you have charted! Each Nurse is tracked with their compliance and unfortunately written up if they don't follow the rules. It has worked out really well preventing med errors. It takes some getting used to, but overall it is a great system. We use the computer for report and can see on our task list that a med isn't charted, so we can call a Nurse on it right there.
I do the narcotic audits on my unit daily, randomly tracking Nurse's and Intensivists to see if they are charting the meds as well as getting witnesses to wastes, etc. I rarely have to write up someone, so my point is the system has improved how we administer and chart meds.

That sounds like a great system! Hope all hospitals switch to it!!

morte, LPN, LVN · Mar 7, 2009

guilty of all 4, the prn narcs less so since i worked with a nurse who nearly got skewered by the DEA.....

lolalolacherrycola · Mar 7, 2009

guilty of all 4, the prn narcs less so since i worked with a nurse who nearly got skewered by the DEA.....

Holy bat crap!! lol....what happened??

morte, LPN, LVN · Mar 7, 2009

they told her they could charge her with diversion.....which is kinda funny if you knew her.......whether they actually could make it stick, who knows,and who wants to find out.......additionally, as some one else mentioned, i think in this thread, a diverter is going to have THE best charting, lol....of course until their disease process gets far advanced i suppose......

i really wish you had security come up and dump that damn sharps container.....it would have been so much simpler....ah 20/20 hindsight