Pulling Meds For Another Nurse To Pass

[Dudlydorite]

I refused to pull meds for another nurse to pass. Although the meds would of still been in the sealed package and pill bottles placed in the patients box, I refused. I cannot guarantee the other nurse passing them will verify correctly and/or administer the right med to the right patient. I see this has been done previously on all shifts and I was told, “that’s what we do so the floor nurse can do her assessments right away when shift starts”. It doesn’t matter if the meds are still sealed, I’m responsible for verifying meds for another nurse I’m supposed to trust to verify again?  No! Uh nuh! Excuse me, but I’m not going down under the bus if that nurse makes one human error. Am I wrong for refusing? I’ve never heard of such practice and have never done this in the 18 years of practice. 

[Susie2310]

On 7/20/2022 at 10:03 PM, Maizie Wilharm said:

I work in the OR and there was a system of ancef being delivered from the pharmacy via tube system for pre-op to leave with the patient for me to grab and take to the room and the CRNA would then administer prior to incision. Due to less lab staff and taking up time in the tube system they now stock prefilled syringes in pre-op and only recently some of the nurses in pre-op have refused to pull the medication to leave at the bedside because in their words “I’m not the one giving it”. But I, the OR nurse aren’t administering it either when anesthesia is used for a case. And I’m having trouble citing literature to help develop a policy for my hospital on how to handle this conflict.

In my state there are laws/regulations that govern RN, CRNA, and pharmacy legal responsibilities.  In the type of situation you described, I would want to clarify my responsibilities, CRNA responsibilities, and pharmacy responsibilities, with my state BON.  

[Gay Pasley, BSN]

I am completely uncomfortable with this practice and would like to know what it is called so that I may research it and see if there are medication errors that happen as a result. If anyone is familiar with its origin and its name please comment as I am looking for evidence-based practice to support or refute the practice. Specifically, I have noticed that most nurses will come and verify the medications that have been pulled and I encourage them to do so. On occasion I have left a medication out however one nurse got offended and said "what if I am in a hurry or running late?" She seems to think that I owe it to her to set up her meds when I have been told it is a courtesy. I am concerned that she doesn't even check the meds that she dispenses and want to stop the practice in the facility that I work. My next step is to contact the Board of Nursing.