HUGE mistake

Specialties School

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Full disclosure, I am lazy about counting meds. I count them when they come in, and since I'm the only one who passes meds I just assume that the count will be right.

Well yesterday I was sick and the sub found 2 bad counts. One kid was missing a tylenol and the other was missing two ritalin. I'm so upset. I don't know where the missing pills went. i did the in counts for both. All documentation looks good, no missing entries.

I'm in my probabtionary period and I know I will be in trouble. On top of being sick I'm am now anxious.

So, I guess I learned my lesson.

Always do the count.

Specializes in School Nursing, Pediatrics.

I do not count OTC , that would be way too crazy!

Our system (SNAP) keeps track of the med count, and counts it down after given, if you put the # in the system. I usually check to make sure I am on track with numbers but not everyday.

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Long time stalker, 2nd time poster... :o)

I had this happen to me as well. It's frustrating issue to have. I counted pills when they were dropped off and also at the beginning of each week. In the last week of school last year, I had 2 Ritalin missing. We changed the policy this year and now do daily counts. Within the first month of school I had 10 Ritalin missing (5 from 2 different students)! The drawers are locked after every med is given and the spare key is in the secretary's drawer. Long story short, it was a sub night custodian that had taken them. And yep, you guessed it, he was working last year as well!

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Specializes in School health, pediatrics.
so i don't bother counting tylenol or other otc meds. i glance if the bottle's open and make sure it is what it's supposed to be. If it's a controlled med, i give it a count. But if it's not, again. I look at the pills and just ensure it's a bottle of all the same stuff. I had a run in with THAT parent that sent in a bottle of mixed GOD only knows and thought i wouldn't notice. ritalin are small and blue. Seriously -and you wonder why your kid has issues...

My mom (a school psych in an inner city district) once sent me a picture of a generic viagra asking if there was a reason a 7year old would have it in hias lunch box. Story from mom was that she thought it was adderall. Um. No Adderall is not square. She called CPS.

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Specializes in Telemetry, Gastroenterology, School Nrs.

I only count when the refills are dropped off to me. We don't have a policy r/t count, at all!

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Specializes in Med-surg, school nursing..

Our computer system also keeps track of counts, BUT, that's if the medicines are entered (I do enter mine) and full time nurses are the only ones with access to the health visits portion. So a sub nurse/office staff cannot chart in the EMR, only the paper chart.

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Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.
My mom (a school psych in an inner city district) once sent me a picture of a generic viagra asking if there was a reason a 7year old would have it in hias lunch box. Story from mom was that she thought it was adderall. Um. No Adderall is not square. She called CPS.

Jeeze! I am sure the point was lost on the parent that the 7 yo should not be toting the adderall in his lunchbox to begin with.

I had a student that was bringing his ritalin in his pocket on test days. Would have never known if he didn't make a big show of it one day. The point was lost on the parent that he could not do that. Her argument was that it helped him focus on test days. I even offered to keep a stash in my office but the parent did not want to go through the trouble of getting an order. It was only when i explained that if he were to be found by law enforcement with a loose controlled pill in his possession, it would could potentially create a charge for him that her tone changed and that he (as far as i know) stopped bringing in the pills

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Specializes in School nursing.

I do a count when it dropped off (not for OTCs, I just note bottle drop off for them), note it in the computer and write the number of pills received on the bottle itself with my initials. The computer system I use can do a count and reconcile it usually every two weeks or so (no official policy on when I should, though, to be honest).

I keep my meds in a locked filing cabinet, but do keep it unlocked during the day when I'm in the office. There is only one key and it is discretely hidden and only two additional admin know where it is.

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Specializes in NCSN.
I do not count OTC , that would be way too crazy!

Our system (SNAP) keeps track of the med count, and counts it down after given, if you put the # in the system. I usually check to make sure I am on track with numbers but not everyday.

I'm in the same boat as above, but I rarely ever recheck

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People steal drugs, never ever just assume your count will be right because youre the only one passing meds.

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Specializes in School Nurse. Having conversations with littles..

We request ONLY unopened bottles/containers of OTC medicine. It has taken awhile, but this works pretty well.

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I count with the adult that brings the med in and we both sign it. There are 2 cameras in my office that shows anyone that would try to get into my med cabinet. So far have never had any meds go missing. The receptionist gives the meds when I'm gone...the most trustworthy person on earth.

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I only count the controlled substances when the parents drop them off. That's it. I would be forever in paperwork if I had to count my OTCs.

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