Scanning meds for refusal

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Is anyone familiar with scanning meds even when pt refuses and state in the comment that it wasn't given and patient refused or you just click on pt refuses and not scan.

Specializes in LTC, Rural, OB.

I just click on not given, reason pt refused and don't scan the meds.

Either way. Sometimes I know ahead of time I'm not going to give it so I don't bother scanning.

I am usually telling the patient what meds I am giving as I scan so sometimes after I scan they say they do not want the stool softener or whatever. Then I just enter "not given".

If I know the patient is going to refuse I don't bother pulling it because I will need to return it any way. I then click as refused when giving all other meds.

If I already pulled then I scan he bed and mark refuse and return to the Pyxis.

Specializes in ED, psych.

We get dinged for it at our facility if we don't scan.

My NM once explained that it's assumed that we didn't offer the med, even if we know darn well that the patient is going to refuse it. Or that we didn't do our due diligence in reading through the MAR (super annoying). So those tablets of Senna or even insulin coverage that the patient doesn't meet parameters for ... we scan and then hit "patient refused" or "held" due to parameters, etc.

We get dinged for it at our facility if we don't scan.

My NM once explained that it's assumed that we didn't offer the med, even if we know darn well that the patient is going to refuse it. Or that we didn't do our due diligence in reading through the MAR (super annoying). So those tablets of Senna or even insulin coverage that the patient doesn't meet parameters for ... we scan and then hit "patient refused" or "held" due to parameters, etc.

Wow ...super annoying!

Specializes in Geri - Edu - Infection Control - QAPI.
We get dinged for it at our facility if we don't scan.

My NM once explained that it's assumed that we didn't offer the med, even if we know darn well that the patient is going to refuse it.

This is definitely why you should ask for the policy & procedure regarding scanning meds. It's a time-consuming task to scan meds you're not even going to give.

Specializes in ED, psych.
This is definitely why you should ask for the policy & procedure regarding scanning meds. It's a time-consuming task to scan meds you're not even going to give.

Our NM looks for 100% compliance for scanning meds ... it's our hospital-wide policy, even for those pesky meds we know darn well our patients won't be taking. Super time consuming to pull from the Pyxis and then return.

And super annoying.

But guess who got recognized for 100% compliance ...

Specializes in Geri - Edu - Infection Control - QAPI.

But guess who got recognized for 100% compliance ...

Haha Congrats!

Maybe you could ask the docs for DC or PRN orders on some of the meds.

Specializes in Emergency, Telemetry, Transplant.

When I worked on a floor that scans meds, everything except controlled substances and refrigerated meds were kept in a locked drawer by the room, so there was, thankfully, no issue with having to return refused meds in the vast majority of circumstances. It was also nice that we could point and click off not given rather than having to scan the med and put it as not given. Obviously, this varies place to place.

Specializes in Pedi.
We get dinged for it at our facility if we don't scan.

My NM once explained that it's assumed that we didn't offer the med, even if we know darn well that the patient is going to refuse it. Or that we didn't do our due diligence in reading through the MAR (super annoying). So those tablets of Senna or even insulin coverage that the patient doesn't meet parameters for ... we scan and then hit "patient refused" or "held" due to parameters, etc.

What an incredible waste of time.

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