should i have given it to patient as scheduled?

Nurses General Nursing

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My patient is receiving penicillin IVABT. This patient was scheduled q 6 hours at 5pm, 11p etc. A day shift nurse didnt give this medicine until 7pm. Should I have given the next dose at the scheduled time at 11pm or should I have reschedule time to q6 hours? I know antibiotics are more effective if its given at a evenly spread intervals but I think penicillin can be given q 4 hours also.

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Hosiptal policy re: late meds?

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Specializes in Cardiovascular Recovery.

I would definitely review the hospital policy. I also wouldn't hesitate to contact pharmacy about giving it as well. It may be that you give the dose late (at 7pm) then the following doses be rescheduled. Unfortunately late meds do happen.

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I would definitely review the hospital policy. I also wouldn't hesitate to contact pharmacy about giving it as well. It may be that you give the dose late (at 7pm) then the following doses be rescheduled. Unfortunately late meds do happen.

Yep.... we used to re-time the meds...not sure if they all do :)

Pharmacy is great, if they're there 24/7 (smaller rural hospitals don't always have that )

:up::twocents:

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Except for meds like vanc and tobra that get levels drawn,we'll retime them, staggering them, to get them back on the "typical" schedule. We've actually got a chart to go by that says what times to stagger them to.

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Specializes in Medical Surgical Orthopedic.

I would give it one hour late since it was two hours late, earlier. I would try to gradually get back on schedule.

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Specializes in Trauma Surgical ICU.

I would just call pharm and tell them what happened so they can adjust the following doses as ordered by MD..

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Specializes in LTC.
I would give it one hour late since it was two hours late, earlier. I would try to gradually get back on schedule.

Like give it at 12am and then the next dose 5am so its back on schedule.

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The standard of care for all antiobiotics is administer within 1 hour of order unless in ED then has to be within 3 hours. I would call the MD to ask what he would like you to do because if you wait you are going to have a med error. But if you give it like you said the dose is not being given evenly and it wont be as effective.

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Specializes in ER, STICU, Neuro ICU, PACU, Burn ICU.

The dose is q6. Reschedule it and give the next dose six hours after the last dose was given and document why you did it. Pass it on in report.

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Specializes in ED, ICU, PSYCH, PP, CEN.

All good responses. Make sure you let pharmacy know what happened.

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