Med Pass Help Please!

Nursing Students Student Assist

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I have only done two med passes so far. This is my first med pass clinical. The instructor just told us that on our next med pass we would not know who are patients were ahead of time and that we would have to pass meds on all three patients within one hour. If we did not do so, we would not pass!!!!!!! What am I going to do. I was doing well to get my two patients within the two hour time limit. Each patient has 10 or more meds that have to be crushed, mixed with water, and poured down a G tube. There are also suspensions that have to be shaken, liquids that have to be poured, calculations that have to be done without a calculator. Some also have injections that have to be given at the same time or certain treatments or water boluses or residuals that need to be checked. Is this impossible? Do I need to talk to someone higher up? Or can someone recommend a certain technique that will help me pass? This is a med pass done in a Long Term Acute Care Facility. Has anyone had a similar experience? Why am I being asked to give meds as fast as an experienced nurse? Panicked and desperate here.

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Specializes in Education, IV Therapy, Travel Medicine.

I would make sure you have reviewed the common meds given in the area of practice you are in as well as practice calculations. Can you use quick references? If so there are some good laminated sheets with calcualtion and med info at the medical book stores and I am sure other places as well. Although, you will be timed, accuracy is the most important factor. I wish you well . Let us know how it goes.

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The instructor just told us that on our next med pass we would not know who are patients were ahead of time and that we would have to pass meds on all three patients within one hour.

This is a med pass done in a Long Term Acute Care Facility. Has anyone had a similar experience? Why am I being asked to give meds as fast as an experienced nurse? Panicked and desperate here.

You aren't being asked to give meds as fast as an experienced nurse. I work LTC and I have 34 residents to pass meds to, I have two hours to do it (comes to about 3.5 minutes per resident to check the MAR, pull the meds, crush them, walk to the room, give resident meds and walk back to the cart), included in that is blood sugar checks (9 of my residents get blood sugar checks with insulin coverage), insulin draws, sub-q and IM meds, suspensions, 5 G-tube residents, 90% of my residents need the meds crushed AND I have to chase them down to find them to give them their meds. Add in time taken away for family questions/concerns, phone calls, doctors coming in and out, etc.

You are being asked to pass meds to THREE people in one hour, thats 20 minutes per person to do what you need to do. You will be FINE! You are freaking yourself out. I know it sounds daunting and un-doable, but you can do it. The first time is always the scariest.

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My best time is 2 hours for 2 patients. That is 60 minutes per person. It's not a matter of how many I have compared to someone in a nursing home. It is the fact that I only have done two med passes and the instructor is standing over me constantly asking questions about the medications. I have to somehow cut it down to 20 minutes per person in one week with no in between practice and if I don't, well hasta la vista to me! There is also Dilantin that has to be shaken for 5 minutes, one of three liquids that have to be poured. Some of the med orders are not written with the actual form in mind so conversions need to be made. While I appreciate that a nurse out there has to give 34 med passes, this is me here not knowing how I'm going to make it - just a newbie - someday I'll be able to laugh at it but that's not today. So, everyone out there, please once again, what can I do to make the med pass faster??????

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Specializes in ER, ARNP, MSN, FNP-BC.

If this is your third med pass in your entire life, there is nothing I can tell you right now to help you.... except RELAX. Getting yourself worked up will only kill any ounce of efficiency you have in you TRUST me. :) Everyone is in your same situation, what is she gonna do? fail the whole class? Maybe this is just a test to see how you do under pressure and she's not really serious..... I hope so, cause scare tactics are no way to teach nurses.

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Thank you. :)

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i suggest visualizing yourself passing the meds. think about what order you are going to givethe meds and make up different scenarios based on your other two med passes. have faith in yourself and your abilities! good luck!:)

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