Trouble reading/decipering orders & meds

[JoAnna McNurse]

My hospital still uses paper cards for MAR medications and it is driving me crazy. I find the handwriting very hard to read and when meds are cancelled, they highlight them in yellow. Sometimes you have a card that is half yellowed out meds and half active meds and there are several cards stapled together.

There are cards for scheduled meds....cards for one time meds.....cards for PRN meds.....and cards for fluids and when a PCA is running..........theres another card for the PCA.

These cards have little "boxes" for times meds are due and signature of the nurse and columns running across the page for dates. If it's for Insulin, the columns run down the page and you fill in all info going down the page. If for some reason you don't give the med....you are supposed to initial the square containing the med and "circle it" which is to alert that the med was not given.

I am CONSTANTLY struggeling trying to read the writing and make sure I'm "seeing" all the meds and getting them out on time. I have also missed meds on a number of occasions because these cards are so confusing to deal with. And, it seems like I am constantly going back to look at the card again because I'm afraid I've missed something......and because new meds are constantly appearing on the card to be given !!!!

Have any of you worked with this type system?

Any ideas on how to decipher the cards more effeciently an not miss meds so often?

Anyone worked the the computerized medication card system?????

We are supposed to be going to a computer system soon and I cannot wait. It just seems like it will be so much easier to see and understand meds then.

Any comments and/or suggestiong greatly appreciated

[jimthorp]

Here is a sample of the MAR I use. Nothing the nurses do on a daily basis is computerized except for some forms we print out and email notifications. Click on the form for a larger view.