PO vs IV formulations

[elizabells]

Last night I had a baby with a med ordered IV, that had always been ordered IV. In the med drawer, however, were a bunch of doses drawn up in those ExactaMed oral syringes that don't fit our IV tubing, but labeled [med name] Inj. We use different labels for PO and IV meds, and these had the PO labels, even though it said Inj. When I called pharmacy I was told that the PO and IV form were exactly the same, like literally they just draw from the same vial no matter whether it's ordered PO or IV. Obviously I made him send me new (correct) syringes, but I can't decide if he was telling the truth or just covering for the mistake. Maybe I'm being dim, but that seems weird to me. Can anyone speak to that? Are there really meds that can be PO or IV from the same vial with no changes in dose or additives/dilutents or anything?

[Mara123RN]

There are drugs that are interchangable from IV to PO, but never the other way around! I'd have written an incident report because that could have been a sentinel event. If it is written for a specific route, then it should be in the appropriate syringe or else a serious med error could be made!

I agree. Was it a pharmacist you talked to or a pharmacist. Where I work there are 2 pharmacist that I fully trust otherwise I double check everything they say and find many times, other than my favorite two pharmacists, I am given incorrect information