Keeping up with meds

[bluesky74]

I'am in need of some advice on how to stay on time with my meds. Say 3 pt's all have 3 meds due at 1800 how do some of you more experienced stay on schedule? Do you pull a little before time and begin early? Do you start with the pt. whose meds may be more important? I just need to here some ways of the wise!

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Well, I work at a nursing home, and all 20 of my patients have meds due at 8 o'clock in the morning.

In my state, it is perfectly legal to start giving meds 60 minutes before the scheduled time, and up to 60 minutes after the scheduled time. Therefore, since my patients' meds are due at 8 o'clock, I can start passing them out at 7am and be done before 9am. In other words, nurses at my workplace have a 2-hour window to complete their med passes.

[rizza]

I'am in need of some advice on how to stay on time with my meds. Say 3 pt's all have 3 meds due at 1800 how do some of you more experienced stay on schedule? Do you pull a little before time and begin early? Do you start with the pt. whose meds may be more important? I just need to here some ways of the wise!

In nursing school in California we were allowed 30miniutes before and 30minutes after scheduled med time.

[txspadequeenRN, BSN, RN]

it's not the state that sets the window for medication admin ,it's the facility. i have been to plenty of facilities that only allow a 30 min window.

in my state, it is perfectly legal to start giving meds 60 minutes before the scheduled time, and up to 60 minutes after the scheduled time.

[Lorie P.]

if i have meds that are due at 1000, i pull at 9 and start giving, because we have the same rule; 1hour before till 1 hour after.

also if i have meds due at 1200 and another due at 100 and another due at 200. i start at 11 and that way i still hit the 1 before and 1 after.

it also depends on the facility you work at.

[jjjoy, LPN]

My experience was in LTC, the window was an hour before and after and in acute care it was 30 minutes before and after.

[rizza]

My experience was in LTC, the window was an hour before and after and in acute care it was 30 minutes before and after.

My experience with the 30 min before and 30 min after was also in acute care settings.

[erniebobernie]

My experience was in LTC, the window was an hour before and after and in acute care it was 30 minutes before and after.

Ditto