Med passes, times, what is your norm?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Specializes in ICCU, Med/Telem..

Hello all and greetings,

I am on a committee at work which is going electronic, Yes, we are a small rural hospital, yay, love the country. but anyway....

We are in a discussion about med pass times..... As you all know, this can be a heated one at that.

Can you guys give me some ideas what you do at your institution. You don't have to be electronic, just need to know med pass time. If you have a 10 am med pass, does it work? Are you in Icu with a 10 am med pass? Your thoughts please.

I am arguing about the 10 am time they are trying to institute. I work ICU and the earlier you start including meds the better off you are ie: meds around 8-830 am. I cringe thinking about the early lunch meds mixed in with the am meds, I just can't wrap my brain around the idea.

Thank you all

Aurora

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg; Psych; Tele.
Hello all and greetings,

I am on a committee at work which is going electronic, Yes, we are a small rural hospital, yay, love the country. but anyway....

We are in a discussion about med pass times..... As you all know, this can be a heated one at that.

Can you guys give me some ideas what you do at your institution. You don't have to be electronic, just need to know med pass time. If you have a 10 am med pass, does it work? Are you in Icu with a 10 am med pass? Your thoughts please.

I am arguing about the 10 am time they are trying to institute. I work ICU and the earlier you start including meds the better off you are ie: meds around 8-830 am. I cringe thinking about the early lunch meds mixed in with the am meds, I just can't wrap my brain around the idea.

Thank you all

Aurora

Working on a med-surg unit, I would LOVE med pass to be at 10:00! That way I could have all of my assessments done and charted, and have time to review previous day's orders, etc. I AM TOTALLY against day shift nurses on my unit having to constantly pass the 0730 meds - I think it should be the responsbility of the night shift because of all we have to do in the AM!!!!! Otherwise, our standard times are 0900, 1130, 1400, 1630, 1700, 1800.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

I work on a long term acute care unit, and pass meds to about 15 patients. Our med pass times are typically 0800, 1200, 1600, 2000, and 2400.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

QID= 0900, 1300, 1700, 2100

Routine Q4h= either 0900, 1300, 1700, 2100, 0100, 0500

or 0800, 1200, 1600, 2000, 0000 (MN) 0400

Routine Q 6h = either 0400, 1000, 1600, 2200

or 0000, 0600, 1200, 1800

These were set by a Nursing/Pharmacy committee. They were pretty strict with setting the times, and the computer would automatically pick the closest one to say the last dose of IV abx. If it had been given in PACU at 0100 for example, the computer would pick the 12-6-12-6 form.

As far as med pass you had 45 min before and 45 min after the set time as leeway.

1000 on my unit would have been nice for the nurses, but wouldn't have worked because patients would be getting PT or OT right after breakfast.

I do recomment the SET times rather than every nurse choosing what time she wants.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER OB NICU.

I hated the old times of 9a 1p 6p 9p.Gave too many meds too close together. I am in favor of around the clock meds, esp antibiotics, and many bp and heart meds. Patients are awakened all the time for so many different things that every so many hours works well as other treatments, vs can be adapted. I like 8 12 4 8 12 4 8 or 6 12 6 12 , at least a couple overlap. I know it is hard on med surg units as they have so much to do, so many orders etc. I just think it is better for the body and keeps levels at more constant states. Most meds are not more than bid anyway. Pharmacy sets our times. and they put them all over the place.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Day Surgery, Agency, Cath Lab, LTC/Psych.

I've seen them from 0800-0900 and personally prefer 0900. It gives me a half hour after report to check on all my patients and make sure they are all still alive, check new orders, look through the charts, and get ready for the day. I think that 1000 would be too late because many patients (for good or ill) take their medications with breakfast. I have had a lot of patients that are very particular about getting their meds right before, during or right after their meal. I really like getting the big med pass over as soon as possible and would not like to be dragging my feet for so long before I could start passing meds.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I prefer the once a day time at 1000. Then BID=2200. That way the assessments are done and charted before I tackle meds. When times were at 0900, assessments were not finished before it was time to start on meds, and it made everything harder.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU, L&D, Home Health.

I would not like 1000 med passes, and I work in ICU. For me, I get report at 0700-0730, organize and plan for 5-10 minutes, then do and chart assessments, as well as make calls for abnormal labs or concerns. That can usually be done by 0830. We chart on the computer as well, and I love it. By 0930, meds should be passed and I have a breather before attending to baths or dressing changes. 1000 is too late and unneeded. I can see how a floor nurse with 4-6 patients could use the extra time, but when you only have 1-2 assessments to do, it's really unnecessary.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment