Meds locked up?

Wave Watcher · Sep 23, 2014

I do NOT lock up my epi, inhalers or diastat. These are emergency meds and I do not want to be fumbling for keys or be away from my clinic and a teacher/staff member not be able to get into it. Time is important when giving these types of medications. I do keep any other meds under lock and key.

coughdrop.2.go, BSN, RN · Sep 23, 2014

All of our medications are locked up in a cabinet. Including emergency medications. The key is in an area where only Staff can get to it. I would check your State's guidelines and/or your local School Nurse Association for more specific information just in case :yes:

AdobeRN · Sep 23, 2014

Daily meds are kept locked up. EpiPens, inhalers, OTC are in a cabinet unlocked during the day but locked up when I leave for the day. I do not want to be fumbling with the lock during an emergency situation nor do I want staff members having issues with the lock if something happens during the day and I am not in my office.

OldDude · Sep 23, 2014

Inhalers are not locked. Epi-pens are not locked but I keep a plastic seal, which can be easily broken by hand (like the one on a fire extinguisher), on the latch to identify if the cabinet has been opened. I lock all other medicine.

JenTheSchoolRN, BSN, RN · Sep 23, 2014

Daily OTC meds and prescription meds (I.e. ADD/ADHD meds) are locked in a cabinet that I and my direct boss have the key to; I do keep it unlocked during the day for my own easy access. Epi-pens and inhalers I have organized in a shoe rack taped to the wall in my office. (For those students that don't self carry since I deal with the older kiddos.)

My office door is locked when I leave, but the main office and principals have a key so they can get in a grab an inhaler/Epi-pen for a student if I am not there and it is needed.

shsnurse · Sep 25, 2014

EpiPens, Glucagon, Inhalers, Diastat (emergency meds) are kept in an unlocked drawer system on top of my locked cabinet that I keep all other meds. my backup med admin person has a key to the med cabinet. My first responders are trained on the location of EAPs and emergency med location and how to access the room when I'm not there.

fetch, BSN, RN · Sep 25, 2014

Daily meds (ADD and one allergy med) are in a double-locked cabinet.

Inhalers, DiaStat, and Benadryl are in a single-locked cabinet (gets double-locked overnight).

EpiPens are on top of the inhaler cabinet, though my district also offers plastic-sealed cabinets like Old Dude has. (I had issues with getting maintenance to move my clinic this year, I didn't want to drive myself even crazier trying to get something extra done.)

Heynurselady1 · Sep 25, 2014

Sooo, does that mean my setup is wrong? (I've only been here a month and am still using the last nurse's setup). We have all of the EpiPens/Benadryl combo packs locked up in the same cabinet that the ADHD and other OTC meds are in. And my key is literally in the desk drawer. It makes me uncomfortable, but I don't feel like I have the authority to change anything yet. The certified RN is only here once a week but she likes things HER WAY between the 4 schools she manages.

AdobeRN · Sep 25, 2014

I don't think there is a wrong/right set up - I would do what you feel comfortable with and what is the safest for students/staff.

OldDude · Sep 25, 2014

Like AdobeRN said, like so many things in nursing - your judgement is what you utilize. The only time a setup is wrong is when it doesn't work!! I think most of us use what would be considered an industry standard in making such and similar decisions. So, with some exceptions of course, the industry standard regarding rescue medication is that it is 100% accessible during 100% of the exposure period. I would not recommend locking up rescue medication.

schooldistrictnurse · Sep 25, 2014

Sometimes when a nurse manages more than one building it's easier to keep things consistent across the buildings. That's helpful for staff, too, as they sometimes transfer year to year or sometimes travel to multiple buildings. That way they know the meds (or whatever) are ALWAYS in x location.