narcotic from e-kit..

LoveMyBugs, BSN, CNA, RN · Sep 17, 2011

Did you call the pharmacy to find out where the med was, did they get the order? Where I work you have to call the pharmacy to get an authorization code before you pull anything from the E-kit.

If all you had was 15mg and the order was for 30mg all you needed was an authorization to pull 2 tabs.

Did the nurses at your facility tell you why they thought you shouldn't pull 2 tabs?

dadah_vxr · Sep 17, 2011

before when w're using Pharmacy A, we're suppose to ask for authorization before pulling out narcotics. but now we have new pharmacy, Pharmacy B, they said we dont need authorization code..we can just pull it out from ekit..

the nurses said it was discussed in one of the inservice meeting/seminar from Pharmacy A..that was long time ago before i was hired..so i didnt know about that..

Kyrshamarks, BSN, RN · Sep 17, 2011

It is not against the law, and infact if you only gave one 15 mg pill a lawyer would ask you why you did not give two pills to make the full dose. Come on people use some common sense...

Isabelle49 · Sep 17, 2011

What you did was fine, better than letting the patient suffer, since that is for pain.

brhamlin · Sep 17, 2011

you did great!

xtxrn, ASN, RN · Sep 17, 2011

Yeah. The logic this "not using 2 15mg tablets" is like saying it's wrong to get 2 325mg APAP, to get a full 650mg dose. If that were an issue, nobody would get the full dose, as APAP hasn't come in 650mg tablets.

It's like saying nurses can't count. :uhoh3:

Any med test I've taken with a new job has had simple math like this as part of taking the job. That should be enough...imo :)

xtxrn, ASN, RN · Sep 17, 2011

What you did was fine, better than letting the patient suffer, since that is for pain.

Or start having withdrawal symptoms, which are a ***** to catch up with once they've started.... :twocents:

merlee · Sep 17, 2011

Either you need permission or you don't. That is the only question here.

OF COURSE you needed 2 tabs!!!!

Seems like you did the right thing.

xtxrn, ASN, RN · Sep 17, 2011

So sorry

I've never worked in any LTC that required permission to use the e-box :)

Munch · Sep 17, 2011

I don't believe you did anything was wrong at all. I was in a really bad car accident so bad(some drunk rammed his SUV into me so fast that my little mustang flipped over).I had to be airlifted to a level 1 trauma center hospital. At the time I was taking Opana ER and Dilaudid tabs and the hospital didn't have the Opana ER(very new an very expensive medication most hospitals don't carry it(around Manhattan and the suburbs anyway). It was a pretty bad accident so for the first couple of days I was put on a PCA(with a basal rate and bolus rate which pretty much acts like a long acting narcotic...the basal rate and a long acting narcotic...the short acting break-through narcotic)...duh like I need to explain that stuff to you guys..nurses. Anyway after 2 or 3 days or so they pulled the PCA and changed over to Dilaudid IVP and since they didn't carry my long acting medication they substituted it with oxycontin 60mgs. When the nurse brought me the medication they brought me two 30mg oxycontin tabs. They did this for my whole stay in the hospital and it was entirely fine with the doctors and the nurse manager. Of course all facilities have different policies.

ZippyGBR, BSN, RN · Sep 17, 2011

It is not against the law, and infact if you only gave one 15 mg pill a lawyer would ask you why you did not give two pills to make the full dose. Come on people use some common sense...

a complete none issue -at least you didn't split a 60 mg !