PYXIS question

Our instructor or the nurse we are working under has to go with us to use the pyxis. For IV's and injections we practiced first on dummies, then each other, and then we were able to work with the patients.

The 2 hospital systems where I've had clinicals store only narcs in the Pyxis, so we need to be with our instructor to get access. Other meds are either in the pt.'s room or in the med room/med cart, and we are expected to get those ready on our own.

We don't practice injections or starting IVs on each other, but we do have one instructor who is willing to be a pin cushion. (the woman is a saint! )

We have to go thru our instructor to access the Pyxis. With learning injections, IV's etc we learn/practice on dummies, although in the past students practiced on each other. We have a new director this year and she thought it was crazy to practice on each other. I hope I don't get flamed for this...there are a few students in my class that I would have serious problems with them practicing on me....high ick/creep factor.

I was wondering, as nursing students, how much access do you have to the floor you are working on's PYXIS? My best friend just graduated from a nursing school different than what I am going to, and we found some pretty big differences in our education....at my school, we have our own ID number to get into the PYXIS, so we are able to get into the machine to get our meds on our own. The only thing we are unable to get are the controlled substances. At her school, they had to rely on their instructor to get them access into the machine.....once the instructor accessed it for them,she would let them get their meds...also, we practiced on each other to give injections, and will be doing the same for blood draws and IV's....but they were not allowed to do so, they practiced on dummies and went straight into pts......Maybe I just take for granted that we have such a small school, and everything is very much one on one(our clinical groups are no bigger than 7 people)...anyone else have any differences???

Our school does the same as yours do with the pyxis system.

Our hospital has a few Pyxis machines, and what is in which one depends on what floor you're on. On the gen. medical floors, general supplies are in a pyxis we have access to. Controlled substances, some meds, were in a differnet pyxis that only nurses could get into. This included Colace, Milk of Mag, tylenol! However, on the cardiac unit, we had our own pyxis in a "pod". A pod was four rooms grouped together, one RN had those 4 rooms. It was nice to have your own pyxis. There was also a bigger pyxis that had more general supplies in it. There was a controlled substance pyxis, but RN's would get some meds except narcs out and let us give them with the instructors (Ativan, etc). Colace, tylenol, NTG were all in the med drawers for the patients that we could all access.

In terms of practicing, we practiced on dummies, then went straight to patients. We're also a small, ADN school. I think it has more to do with supplies and such rather than letting us stick each other. -Andrea

We do everything on dummies... NG tubes, catheters, IV's, everything. If we want to practice on a live person, we have to find a very understanding family member! As far as med access goes, we have to have the RN we are working with or our instructors code. It's pretty inconvenient, but that's how it goes!

Having been a student nurse and an RN, basically having seen it from both sides, I don't think students should have assess to the Pyxis. The instructor or staff nurse will ultimately be responsible for the med dispensed and they should be the only ones with assess. Instructors who come to my hospital do not have assess to any meds. Agency nurses are allowed unlimited assess and they are responsible for any narcotics which they administer.

First semester (diploma) student here. Our instructor went with us to the PYXIS the first time. After that - if she felt we were competent and we felt comfortable - we got our own meds.

The last few weeks - she went over the meds out in the hall - and allowed a select few of us administer meds on our own (Bridge system). We haven't started IVs yet, though.