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acarlrn, I am in complete agreement with you. If ir requires mixing, and you are authorized to mix it, then you should do so, before it is administered. The only exception would be if the other nurse doing the mixing is standing right beside you, and you can observe her procedure. We occasionally had to do that in codes, trauma codes, or while giving TPA, and there weren't enough hands. It is a matter of knowing and trusting the people you work with, in a situation like that. Always make it a point to mix your own, though. That is the safest way, and keeps you from getting lazy and careless when giving meds.
If supervision is able to get into the pharmacy, then why not just give the staff nurse the supplies so he/she can mix it and give it. It's hard to say no to a supervisor, but legally, the nurse who gives it is responsible. I think you are right to feel uncomfortable with this. I wouldn't give something that someone else mixed.
acarlrn
6 Posts
I work the night shift at my hospital. Pharmacy is there until 11 pm . Often we get admissions after this hour. There have been numerous times when supervision has been unable to get us mixed medications such as antibiotics,ect. Usually we have the correct med but it is not mixed. there was a situation where the charge nurse mixed the med and then asked the staff nurse to give it. I feel uncomfortable with this situation. I feel that if a medication has to be mixed then I should mix it according to my current IV drug book. Please give me some feedback, thanks:confused: