Med administration prior to 1980

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

I left hospital nursing prior to pyxis invention, bar coding meds etc.

Thinking how med administration is designed to cut down on patient error/theft/drug abuse but is more time consuming opening each tiny med packet, scanning and recording. Darn if I don't have difficulty at home opening benadryl blister pack....iron tablets backing and plastic holder refuse to budge quite often (packaged to prevent kids from OD on iron tablets as happened in past)

Sometimes long for the days of having little white paper box with plastic slide that you could easily remove pills from (unless your arm got jostled from passing staff/patient and pills went flying everywhere).....

Thankfully, filling out individual patient tags for souffle cups filled with meds then placing in metal tray for entire floor ceased at start of my training.

Glad glass IV bottles thing of past...

took just on patient in DT's that smashed bottle on edge of night stand standing their threatening me to realize how dangerous they could be as a weapon....thankfully my 70 yo aide walked in, and in 70's speak, trash talked patient into submission "Boy look at that mess I now have to clean up, get the h.... back in your bed"....learned alot from THAT encounter

Lets turn back time and reminence about passing/administering meds in days gone by.....

[TazziRN, RN]

Counting narcs individually each shift on paper logs and passing the keys....like passing the baton.

[morte, LPN, LVN]

actually, when i was in nursing school, in the early 80's we still used the little aluminium tray with soufle cup and little white tag......and dont they still use glass for nitro and lipids?

[neneRN, BSN, RN]

Counting narcs individually each shift on paper logs and passing the keys....like passing the baton.

We still did this up until about 4 years ago!

Stored all meds (even vials of KCL!) in open bins in locked med room. You just walked in and grabbed what you needed-no system for charging other than coders reading nursing notes. Looking back, the hospital must have lost a ton of money...

[aKyRN81]

Counting narcs individually each shift on paper logs and passing the keys....like passing the baton.

And if the count was short- instant lockdown, nobody could leave until count correct, DON and security present to observe emptying of pockets, etc!

[NeosynephRN]

and dont they still use glass for nitro and lipids?

I know the hospitals I have been in for clinicals have used lipids in bags...just like the other fluids...I have no idea about nitro though.

[neneRN, BSN, RN]

NTG still in glass

[BJLynn]

Counting narcs individually each shift on paper logs and passing the keys....like passing the baton.

We still do this.....

[RNperdiem, RN]

When I started in nursing-before pyxis machines, the pharmacy would keep the day's doses of patients' scheduled meds in a locked drawer in each patient's room.

These were elderly folks who took lots of meds.

Almost always there was something not in the drawer.

Each time meant sending a missing med slip to pharmacy.

How much of my first year of nursing was spent tracking down missing meds and counting narcotics.

I love pyxis.

[mekrn]

Counting narcs individually each shift on paper logs and passing the keys....like passing the baton.

We still do this and we are a huge university medical center! However, for our OR scrubs, we have a Pyxsis type of machine to make sure we don't steal any scrubs! :smackingf

[TazziRN, RN]

We still do this and we are a huge university medical center! However, for our OR scrubs, we have a Pyxsis type of machine to make sure we don't steal any scrubs! :smackingf

Before Pyxis we used to stock Phenergan with codeine in a large bottle. The large bottles were not counted, even though it was a narc. This was in my using days and I once diverted a bottle that was still at least a third full and it was days before anyone noticed it was missing!

[Lisa CCU RN, RN]

Albumin and diprovan (sp) come in a bottle.