HUGE mistake

[OhioBPH]

*Admins, do not put this on facebook*

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.

[TikiBSN]

OMG!!! A principal???

[NutmeggeRN, BSN]

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.

Camera in your office??? Who has access to the video?? Hopefully it is only on after school hours?

[JenTheSchoolRN, BSN, RN]

Camera in your office??? Who has access to the video?? Hopefully it is only on after school hours?

That was my thoughts as well. Camera in my office while I am assessing students? Nope, nope, nope.

We only have cameras in public areas at my school. So there is a camera in the hallway outside my office, but not in my office.

[Amethya]

I'm sorry if I sound ignorant and such, but I never thought of counting medications when I get them. I just assume what's on the bottle is what I'm given, especially because the parents give me a new prescription bottle, so if it says 30, I say it's 30. I think I'll start doing this from now on, thanks for the advice.

[Flare, ASN, BSN]

That was my thoughts as well. Camera in my office while I am assessing students? Nope, nope, nope.

We only have cameras in public areas at my school. So there is a camera in the hallway outside my office, but not in my office.

a camera in my office would be a huge privacy concern. Unless the camera is in my medicine cabinet and only comes on when the cabinet is opened to take a snap of who opens it. But a lot of pictures of my face in profile is probably not worth installing such a complex camera

[OhioBPH]

I am not in trouble! We did MIDAS reorts for the 2 ritalin and the 1 tylenol. But my name is not on the the reports, its just reported for error stat tracking. But I did learn my lesson! I will be much more vigilant in my counting and focus during med pass.

[ohiobobcat]

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.

Same. You can set SNAP to alert when you are down to, say, 4 doses left of a medication so you can call parents and have them get the refill for you.

I count meds when I get them so I can enter the count in SNAP, but not on a regular basis after that first count. I keep most of the meds here at school in a locked cabinet (not Epi-pens) that stays unlocked during the day when I am in here.

That's a lotta counting to have to do every day counts. Plus, who is witnessing these counts?

[OhioBPH]

That's a lotta counting to have to do every day counts. Plus, who is witnessing these counts?

The recieved count is to be signed by another adult, preferably the person dropping off. So I count and they sign that that's the count. But the daily counts no one sees.

[OyWithThePoodles, RN]

Camera in your office??? Who has access to the video?? Hopefully it is only on after school hours?

I go back and forth on this one. If you have complex needs students who you are changing/cleaning/cathing, this is wrong.

If not...I don't know how I feel. We really shouldn't be doing anything that exposes a kiddos private areas if they aren't a complex need, right? Of course, there is the violation of privacy, but the same powers that have access to the video probably have access to the charting.

[nursmimi, BSN, RN]

The cameras are on all the time. I also have a private bathroom that I use when assessing anything that may be under clothing. I DO NOT EVER look at privates and there is always another adult with me if I have to take a kid in there. Yes, the "powers that be" have access. I don't really mind the cameras, I guess I am just used to them. I see it as helping cover me.

[NutmeggeRN, BSN]

I'm sorry if I sound ignorant and such, but I never thought of counting medications when I get them. I just assume what's on the bottle is what I'm given, especially because the parents give me a new prescription bottle, so if it says 30, I say it's 30. I think I'll start doing this from now on, thanks for the advice.

I think you should be counting ANY narcotics that come in, with whoever delivers them.

[lvnforschool]

I don't count OTC meds, but all others yes. The attendance clerk is my backup person, and she will sometimes forget to log in who came in for meds and I have to go back and count the pills on those days!