Vitamins are a controlled substance?

[Volley88]

I have been working on my own in a Med/Surg unit for a few months now. During my orientation I noticed that pulling any sort of PO vitamins from the pyxis requires an initial count and sometimes results in a drug discrepancy. My senior nurses tells me not reportable to the DEA and only worth if its morphine, dilaudid, ativan, etc.

I have asked my coworkers why do we still have the count vitamins, but I keep getting difference responses. Do any of you have an idea why would we have to do a beginning count for vitamins?

[Not_A_Hat_Person, RN]

Maybe they're expensive. I've heard of places that require initial counts for nicotine patches and antibiotics.

[Farawyn]

Are they the patients personal stash?

[Sour Lemon]

I have been working on my own in a Med/Surg unit for a few months now. During my orientation I noticed that pulling any sort of PO vitamins from the pyxis requires an initial count and sometimes results in a drug discrepancy. My senior nurses tells me not reportable to the DEA and only worth if its morphine, dilaudid, ativan, etc.

I have asked my coworkers why do we still have the count vitamins, but I keep getting difference responses. Do any of you have an idea why would we have to do a beginning count for vitamins?

My best guess is they might be a high-theft item. I've seen required counts come up for weird, over-the counter things, like Monistat. Maybe some people would prefer to take it than buy it- both for financial reasons and sometimes out of embarrassment.

The really expensive drugs have to be requested and picked up at pharmacy by a specific nurse at my place. They're not stocked on the floor.

[Flatline, BSN, RN]

Maybe they're expensive. I've heard of places that require initial counts for nicotine patches and antibiotics.

This, expensive and a high theft item.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Vitamins are not a controlled substance.

My former workplace's Pyxis prompted us to count certain OTC medications such as regular strength Tylenol that were prone to theft because employees regularly took them for headaches.

Prescription non-controlled medications that the Pyxis prompted us to count included expensive antibiotics such as Cipro, expensive antidepressants such as Lexapro, and muscle relaxants that led to a feel-good feeling (e.g. Zanaflex & Flexeril).

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

Vitamins are not a controlled substance.

My former workplace's Pyxis prompted us to count certain OTC medications such as regular strength Tylenol that were prone to theft because employees regularly took them for headaches.

Prescription non-controlled medications that the Pyxis prompted us to count included expensive antibiotics such as Cipro, expensive antidepressants such as Lexapro, and muscle relaxants that led to a feel-good feeling (e.g. Zanaflex & Flexeril).

We were allowed to take OTC meds from the Pyxis for personal use. We had an option to pull for "staff OTC" and could take Tylenol or Motrin PRN for ourselves.

[AceOfHearts<3]

We were allowed to take OTC meds from the Pyxis for personal use. We had an option to pull for "staff OTC" and could take Tylenol or Motrin PRN for ourselves.

That's super nice. We were reminded the Pyxis is an extension of the pharmacy, so stealing from the Pyxis is the same as stealing from the pharmacy. We even had to count Tylenol for a while because the counts were apparently so off in a lot of units. I bought a large bottle of ibuprofen at the warehouse and put it in the breakroom for everyone to have access to- that way we didn't have to worry about it on my unit. It wasn't as much of an issue for day shifters if the little store was open in the hospital (it wasn't open 7 days a week and closed super early some days), but for night shifters with headaches or aches/pains it was. I kept the good stuff (the excedrin) in my locker and was willing to share if asked.

[audreysmagic, RN]

We have to count loratadine (yes, Claritin) at my hospital because of the staff use issue. When it was floor stock, it just kept disappearing.

[amoLucia]

Even injectables, like tetorifice, wasn't safe.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

We were allowed to take OTC meds from the Pyxis for personal use. We had an option to pull for "staff OTC" and could take Tylenol or Motrin PRN for ourselves.

For years my former workplace also had an employee health drawer in the Pyxis with Tylenol, Mylanta, Motrin, and a couple of other OTC medications that could be pulled for staff use.

However, the director of pharmacy put an end to the practice about three years ago, citing, "the employees are using the hospital's Pyxis as their personal drugstore."

[xoemmylouox, ASN, RN]

Most of my employers have offered a staff stock. My current correctional gig offers their staff pretty much anything and everything OTC. I'm super impressed. Too bad they don't pay that great.