Living through going to barcode scanning

[Graduatenurse14]

The rumor is we are going to barcode scanning of meds and patients when we go from Sunrise to Epic. I've used it on all of my clinicals in school using Cerner so I'm somewhat familiar but it was already in place.

What is the good, the bad and the ugly of the transition??

Thanks in advance!!

[Graduatenurse14]

Thanks for all of your responses!! I can't help but notice that Sunrise is not mentioned even once so my hospital system is making choice in going to Epic! Please pray that the rumor is TRUE and we are going to be scanning!

1:41 am by Here.I.Stand, RN

I use Epic. I'm not sure what you mean by integrated system, but where I work there's a computer in every pt room. The scanner is connected to the computer. You open up the chart, go to the MAR, scan the pt's wrist band, and scan the meds.

Hi Here.I.Stand! What I mean by integrated is that Cerner and I suppose Epic too, have the scanner truly integrated (whether wired or wireless) to the computer and a seemingly smoother workflow thus I'm assuming that they are created by the same company.

When I used Sunrise with scanners, the scanner was a product by VeriScan Rx and docked in a completely different place.

My preceptor taught me to write 1/2 on the paper side of the package immediately after I take the med out of the Pyxis so when I got to the bedside, I would remember. So far, so good! Every single one of our meds is taken out of the Pyxis but when I used a med cart on clinicals at different hospital system, I would scan the med and cut it then.

[Tenebrae, BSN, RN]

Scanning takes all 5 Rights into account and prevents human error. We first scanned the patient's wrist band, then the medication. The 5 Rights are a done deal at that point besides also recording the administration in the MAR. We had EPIC at my last hospital job, it's a pretty good system

I disagree

No system is perfect and if you rely on it without doing your own 5 right checks, still risk for med error IMO.