Unsafe practice by school administrators?

[Murse_bob]

I am in the last three monts of the RN program. During clinical at two separate hospitals this week students were not allowed using the MAR to pass medications. We were told to hand write the time, medication, dose,... on blank paper. Secondly we were expected to pass medications that the shift nurse had pulled, put in a cup, and handed to us. I feel this is unsafe to the patient and puts me in a compromised position. I feel that if I did not pull it, then I should not push it. Please let me know your thoughts on this. Thank you.

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

1) If you are following the med nurse around, and she is with you and the patient when she hands you the medications you watched her pour, I see no reason not to help the patient take them from your hand. It's good practice for you. Giving pills and stuff isn't as easy as it looks on TV sometimes.

2) As a staff nurse I would not feel comfortable signing off meds on a MAR that I didn't see given, even if I poured them myself, so if an instructor wanted me to have a student give them I would go into the room with the student and observe that.

3) And of course if someone hands you unlabeled meds you didn't pour and expects you to give them, that's an untenable position for you EXCEPT as in 1) above.