is this a safety issue?

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If patient's PCA dosage is suppose to be 0.15mg but if the machine cannot be programed to 0.15 but only 0.1 and if a nurse knew about it and does not call a doctor do you think this is a safety issue?

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Specializes in Hospice, LTC, Rehab, Home Health.

The dose is below the ordered dose so maybe not a safety issue per se. However, it is a medication error as the patient is not receiving the dose ordered by the doctor. This should be addressed as soon as possible. Either by the pharmacist to reprogram the pump to the proper amount or by the nurse to get the order changed to a dose which the pump is programmable.

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Safety? well, I guess.

More like an order that needs clarification due to administration problem. Call him/her and let 'em know, maybe the order was was in error. I would need to call before I gave.

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Specializes in Trauma Surgical ICU.

The pump should be able to delivery the dose that is ordered, if not pharmacy needs to know so they can make the changes. If it can't be delivered for one reason or another, the MD needs to be notified. I'm not sure what type of pumps you have or who programs them but at my facility pharmacy does this.

I would not say this is a safety issue, if the pump was set above the dose, yes, that would be a safety issue and med error.. As it is right now, I say this is a med error.

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

Ours are like that. We can't change the programming. The patient just gets 0.1 less than ordered

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Specializes in Emergency Medicine.

Careful, you're using critical decision making skills. There is NO WAY this can be an error because the pharmacy is in control here. You can't possibly be responsible because you're just a nurse and nurses aren't really needed, right?

Nothing to see here move along...

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Specializes in PCU.

Med error unless doctor called and new/clarification is obtained for dosage that is programmable.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

It's not a safety issue but it is adosage error that need to be clarified. If you leave it as is...the patient will not be recieving the dosage ordered and will not have their pain controlled. Order clarification needs to happen

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If patient's PCA dosage is suppose to be 0.15mg but if the machine cannot be programed to 0.15 but only 0.1 and if a nurse knew about it and does not call a doctor do you think this is a safety issue?

Med error (for many shifts/nurses who let it go)

Questionable prescribing meds w/o a license.

Poor judgment.

Lazy.

Potential inadequate pain control.

Safety re: ANY nurse who did not address the issue and blew it off.

:twocents:

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Careful, you're using critical decision making skills. There is NO WAY this can be an error because the pharmacy is in control here. You can't possibly be responsible because you're just a nurse and nurses aren't really needed, right?

Nothing to see here move along...

Please tell me this is sarcasm..... It's so hard to tell anymore. :eek:

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The charge nurse always set our pumps- basal and bolus, and PCA lock out, dose, and total allowed. It wasn't set by pharmacy. That's ALL on the nurse, as the one who is closest to who gives it to the patient.

On one patient with severe "mets of the everything" cancer pain, the pharmacy had to rig up a different concentration- but that was entered into the pump (with a double check w/another nurse). Otherwise, the PCA cartridges were in the Pyxis.

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Is this a homework question?

I agree with others. It's a med error if not corrected before administration.

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