Meds. off floor taste YUMMY!

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So, just curious as to what everyone else thinks about this. I've seen several nurses drop meds on the floor in front of their patients, pick them up, and give them anyways. Is this common? I asked one nurse about it and she said that it saves the hospital money... but I was taught that's not proper practice. So what do you think about this and what do you do when you drop meds?

~Crystal

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Of course you should not give those meds. Would I? Probably. I would even take my own medication if I had dropped it on the floor. Would I ever do that while precepting someone? No. During JCAHO? nawww :)

wait.....and NOT in front of the patient. Why worry them? :stone

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Specializes in ICUs, Tele, etc..

No I don't but I run back to the pyxis cursing myself lol, i wouldn't want an alert patient coming to my manager and telling them that i gave them medication of the floor.

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Specializes in ER, NICU, NSY and some other stuff.

As nasty as the flors are in the hospital???? NEVER. I drop my fair share, and it is always in front of the patient. Grace was not something God blessed me with. I am always flipping those little buggers across the room as I try and pop em out of those blasted blister packs.

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Nope. Even if tempted, nope.

steph

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Specializes in jack of all trades, master of none.

That is just soooo freakin' NASTY!!! The pt's are getting charged, so I guess technically it would be saving them money, to give them a pill that was on the floor, contaminated by God knows what... causing nosocomial infection, increasing length of stay, & on & on.... "Saving the hospital $$"? Sounds like a money maker to me. I don't understand that rationale. I don't think any patient would c/o about extra charge for a fresh pill, not contaminated by all those creepy nasty bugs crawling around. Honestly, how many times do we walk into contact isolation rooms & walk all over the place with the same shoes on? I wouldn't take it & if someone tried to give me a pill that was the floor, I would DEFINITELY make a report to administration & probably make a professional c/o with BON. That is just poor practice. Now, if you are at home, don't wear your work shoes home, just mopped the floors an hour ago, & dropped your BCP or your last Maxalt, I can see where the "5 second rule" might apply.

In a hospital, or any other healthcare facility.... NO WAY!!!! eeeewwww.

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

I'm another one of those who was not blessed with a great deal of grace, and those horrid individual blister packets are the bane of my existence as a nurse. Obviously, a lot of pills squirt across the room, roll off the bed table, or otherwise end up anywhere and everywhere but where they're supposed to! That's why I spend a lot of time picking up those pills.........and dropping them into the sharps container before calling pharmacy for another dose. :p Hospital floors are DISGUSTING........I wouldn't give a human being anything that's touched one. YECCCCCHHHHHH.

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Those were my thoughts too. The floors in hospitals are probably the nastiest. I know I wouldn't accept a pill off the floor either. LOL @ 5 second rule! I think the main problem was that the nurses didn't want to take the time to go get another pill or call up the pharmacy, etc etc. But still, I guess I should report the incidents huh? Problem is... almost all the nurses on my shift do it... eek!

~Crystal

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Specializes in Inpatient Acute Rehab.

No way!!!

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That is just soooo freakin' NASTY!!! The pt's are getting charged, so I guess technically it would be saving them money, to give them a pill that was on the floor, contaminated by God knows what... causing nosocomial infection, increasing length of stay, & on & on.... "Saving the hospital $$"? Sounds like a money maker to me. I don't understand that rationale. I don't think any patient would c/o about extra charge for a fresh pill, not contaminated by all those creepy nasty bugs crawling around. Honestly, how many times do we walk into contact isolation rooms & walk all over the place with the same shoes on? I wouldn't take it & if someone tried to give me a pill that was the floor, I would DEFINITELY make a report to administration & probably make a professional c/o with BON. That is just poor practice. Now, if you are at home, don't wear your work shoes home, just mopped the floors an hour ago, & dropped your BCP or your last Maxalt, I can see where the "5 second rule" might apply.

In a hospital, or any other healthcare facility.... NO WAY!!!! eeeewwww.

The patient doesn't get charged if we drop a pill.

The hospital just eats it . . so to speak. :)

steph

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Specializes in ER.

The five second rule doesn't apply at work. But at home, well those are family germs. I have refused to give dropped pills to a patient even when they volunteered to take them. If we get the heebies about babies going barefoot on hospital floors there is no way a pill off the floor is OK.

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I would waste it. Have another license witness it, and document that it was wasted. If I were a nurse.

I never take pills that were dropped on the floor, except if I'm late for a dose, or it's my house.

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