Pneumatic tube systems....

Nurses General Nursing

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We are getting a spanking brand new hospital!! This is a real feat for us because the one we are working in now is from the Florence Nightingale era. (Not quite maybe, but close). Management is trying to pretend that they are actually interested in what the nurses are saying we need. One thing that a lot of us really think would be a real time saver and a tremendous help would be a tube system. You know, like the kind they have at the drive thru at the banks? Well of course we are being shot down by administration and maintenance. Administration says it costs too much and maintenance says they plug up all the time. (My next question for them is how the heck do they know since we have never ever had one? :confused: Plus they seem to be pretty popular at the drive thru banks.) I need some reasons why this would be a good idea. The ones I have come up with is:

1. We can tube stuff to lab.

2. Pharm. can tube stuff to us and vica versa.

3. Admitting can send up paperwork.

4. It would save countless steps and energy for us.

5. We could tube reqs to purchasing.

For those of you who work in a hospital with a tube system, how has it benefited the staff? What about maint. problems? Have any of you ever worked in a facility that had the tube system and then went to one that didn't? Any help for this would be appreciated it. Thanks...

Becky

Originally posted by Furball

I remember a pt suffering a carotid blow out on the floor(Pt made it BTW)

Definitely off topic here, but I have never heard of a carotid blow out!! Wow!! Bet that was a sight to see....glad to hear the pt made it. ;)

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Originally posted by deespoohbear

Definitely off topic here, but I have never heard of a carotid blow out!! Wow!! Bet that was a sight to see....glad to hear the pt made it. ;)

She was an ENT pt. Tumors can damage the artery enough to cause hemorrhage. It was awful.

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Do you think a tube system would ever work in LTC?

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Specializes in Psych, Med/Surg, Home Health, Oncology.

Hi

I don't know how we did it without the tube system!!

What a time-saver it has been.

We had one at the other hospital I worked for; I came to this place & really missed it----was I happy when they put one in about 3 years ago!!

They were able to eliminate several transporter positions because of the tube system---I'm sure those people were not happy.

We use it for almost everything, includimg sending up blood from, the blood bank; pharmacy sends everything thru the tube including narcs----with narcs, there is a security code that needs to be entered before you can get it from the tube. The pharmacy will call the particular nurse with the code; works really well.

The only place our tube system does not go is med records.

Mary Ann

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We just got ours about 6 months ago, maybe a little less, so I've worked both with and without one. It is a freaking godsend! (Just my unbiased opinion. *grin*) I won't say that there aren't snafus occasionally, they will happen. However, it is wonderful to draw your labs and pop them in the carrier rather than to pop them in the tray to (hopefully) have someone walk them down personally. Or take time from your patients to walk them down yourself, and frankly, there are days when you really don't have the 15 minutes (it's a big hospital) to walk them down yourself.

Pharmacy can tube you what you need fairly close to the time when you need it. No longer need to run down to the pharmacy to grab that bottle of specially mixed antibiotic or narcotic.

In order to tube narcotics, there is a passcode unique to each transaction so security is ensured. . . . .

I would say way more positives. I love our tube system. Occasionally we get issues when something gets tubed to the CVP as opposed to the CTP, or the CTR, but we know that happens, and the tube system has a doorbell sort of thing on it so we know something has arrived, and if it's not ours we send it on

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Tube systems are a GODSEND!! I've worked with and without and can't imagine being without one. What a timesaver. How can a hospital not put one in? Is teleporting ala Star Trek a new viable option?

I hope the leaving is joyful; and I hope never to return. Frida Kahlo

Mexican painter (1907 - 1954)

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Wound Care.

I worked for 18 years in a hospital without a tube system, 4 years in one with one. OMG, I LOVE that thing!! Saves huge amounts of time walking to departments, especially pharmacy. We get new drugs in minutes instead of hours!!

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Do you work in Illinois? Were getting a new hospital, too!

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Specializes in cardiac med-surg.

the tube system rocks

nuff said ?

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Specializes in floor to ICU.

just got one but it doesn't go to pharmacy :uhoh3:

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Why would you NOT have a tube system? I can't imagine a hospital without one!! As long as you don't send things that you're not supposed to, they are pretty reliable and don't jam.

I would push really hard for this. My department is physically located in the building next door to the hospital and nurses bringing patients are forever forgetting patient labels, med kardexes, etc. "Oh, I'll just tube it to you." Uh, no you won't--we don't have a tube station. Makes it really inconvenient.

Good luck.

Agree 100%

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