Having to count Risperidone

[NurseJamie8]

I've noticed that in the past couple months that you have to count Risperidone. It requires a count just like the narcs, but does not require a witness to waste. Has anyone else encountered this?

[Kay28]

We use a pyxis machine at my hospital and sometimes it wants you to count random meds. For some reason the other night it wanted me to do count every time I took out cogentin. No clue why though.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Although the hospital where I work does not yet count Risperdal, our Pyxis machines are programmed for the floor nurses to count non-controlled medications that are expensive (Lexapro, Zithromax, etc.).

Risperdal is somewhat expensive, with a typical cash price tage of $100+ for a 30-day supply. It also has the potential for diversion since it provides a mellow 'feel-good' feeling to the user.

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

Besides controlled substances, some random meds that our Pyxis makes us count are ones the seemingly innocuous ones that might be nipped by nurses for their own use, such as nicotine patches and loperamide.

[Beverage]

Pharmacy has us count random meds supposedly for compliance per some joint commission request. I can't tell you how annoying this is. Last week I was counting vitamin D cholecalciferol and there were 30+ pills in the drawer. The Pyxis also asked me if I was going to give the entire dose of metoprolol 25 mg and when I answered no, it did not require a waste. I've also been counting MOM for months!

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

Yesterday, my Pyxis made me count ibuprofen.

[applewhitern, BSN, RN]

We had to count steroids for a while. Some places I worked required us to count Phenergan.

[NurseMellie]

It's not a scheduled med like Ritalin. It depends on your facilities protocols. We don't count it in my facility.