Pre-printed MARs

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My unit just switched to pre-printed MARs with "commonly" ordered meds (mostly PRN's), although we don't use standing admission orders (i.e. different doctors will still order different things for patients on admission).

The nurses seem to be divided as to what should be done with the meds on the MAR that don't get ordered. As it is now, if the med is ordered, the nurse initials and dates it on the MAR to indicate that is is ordered. Some nurses feel that the meds not ordered should just be left as is, so they can easily be initialed and dated later if they ARE ordered. The other half feels that non-ordered meds should be crossed off (yellowed out) so it is clear what is to be given.

Thoughts on either side? I of course have my thoughts, I am trying to not come off biased, as I want honest opinions.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Psych, Rehab.

I believe they should be crossed off. You're just creating problems for yourself later on, because if your MARS are anything like some places I've seen, nurses will just sign off on the medication and give it even though it was supposed to be DC'd. To make things easy and understandable for everyone, they should be crossed off.

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I also go with crossing them off, for safety.

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I'm wondering why there hasnt been a departmental meeting regarding this yet. There shouldnt be competing views among the staff regarding this. It seems to be more possile trouble than it's worth

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Specializes in Hospice / Psych / RNAC.

Yellow them out and save yourselves a whole lot of trouble. If the order comes up again you'll just have to write it out by hand. My God ... you just went to printed MARS! That's incredible. Were you manually writing everything in before?

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I would think that they HAVE to be crossed out, and "not ordered" written in.....

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Specializes in Geriatrics.

Cross them out! You have no idea how much trouble it is for a new employee (or agency Nurse) to figure out what should and should not be given.

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Thanks everyone...I'm glad to see that the consensus is that it is common sense that these meds should get crossed out. Even our manager told us were were not to cross them off, and when a few of us complained that it was a safety issue, then he said he would defer to how we (the staff in general) wanted it to be done. Except we don't agree on it. Of course I'm "just" a night nurse so what do I know about how busy it can get during the day :mad: My jaw literally hit the floor when one of the nurses from day shift started complaining about having to hand write a motrin order that had been crossed off and then ordered the next day.

Anyway - just venting now, thanks for the feedback :)

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Specializes in Certified Med/Surg tele, and other stuff.

Crossing them off would have been my vote. What is somebody accidentally initials the incorrect one?

I don't miss paper MARS at all.

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