Medication Shortages

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Ok i work on a med/surge floor that mainly deals with post surgical patients (abdominal mostly). Recently we have been getting memos that state first there is a nation wide shortage of single dose morphine and to have the docs prescribe something else for pain ( did i say we were a post surgery floor). Then there was a nation wide shortage of

D50 (which i find out when my pt BS drops to 46). Then a nationwide shortage of vitamin C (that goes in TPN bags) and the most recent one is a shortage of Nubain. So far none of these shortages have been resolved. Is anyone else experiencing these shortages?:confused:

ahhh

we're so out with MS 4mg IVs also...

so yeah give 2mg, waste 8mg, and u better make sure someone watch u waste it...

what a waste...

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Specializes in ED, ICU, PSYCH, PP, CEN.

short on morphine 4 mg vials

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Specializes in Oncology.

I feel like we're never short on

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Specializes in Oncology.
I'm sure the patients didn't mind. ;)

Nurses probably don't either.

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Specializes in Oncology.
We're finally getting IV lasix again, apparently there was only one manufacturer in the US and the factory burned down. We've also been using 10mg morphine carpujects for every 1 or 2mg morphine dose, wasting the other 8 or 9 mg.

A good argument for less monopolies in the supply chain.

So everyone's lasix comes in a little brown bottle with an orange cap, cause that's all there is?

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Specializes in Hospice.

we are getting our 10mg/ML morphine in vials right now.... our drs certainly have not changed their orders so some does get wasted. We are allowed to double lock /date and pt label our morphine(for our shift only) so i sometimes can use it all or at least save it to the end of the shift to waste.

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Specializes in Post Anesthesia.

Yep, we get one or two a mos. We have been OUT of some meds and fluids for weeks at a time. I don't know about elswhere in the world but drug companies don't seem too willing to make $ providing hospitals in the USA with frequently used medications.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTAC, Critical Care.

It's nice to know it ain't just us using the 10mg Morphine vials... Fortunately, that seems to be the only med shortage around here.

God help us if there comes a Demerol shortage.... The patients will assault the nurses station with pitchforks.

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Specializes in M/S, ICU, ICP.

i don't know if anyone has thought of it but the soldiers being wounded are requiring high doses of morphine for pain overseas and that probably has a priority right now. i have read several articles out of walter reed on soldiers injured losing multiple limbs from ied's and they all talk about the pain at impact and need to ease the pain in the field hospitals.

i think that is why there are state side shortages of the morphine at least, perhaps there are several drugs required more on the war front than realized.

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Specializes in pediatrics.

Sorry guys, I guess my military hospital is getting first dibs. I haven't seen a shortage in anything yet... :p

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Specializes in Oncology.

If I were in a lot of pain from losing all my limbs, I don't think I'd want morphine. It's not that potent of an analgesic, and it doesn't last that long when given IV.

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