We have to COUNT drugs like lisinopril and Claritin

ChocoholicRN · Apr 3, 2011

The only non-narcotic we have to count now is Nexium, which just happened a few months ago. Apparently that is a popular med to steal in our hospital. Things like Tylenol and Maalox are kept as floor stock so we can just grab it from the cabinet, and I have taken a Tylenol if I forgot my personal travel pack of Motrin, but that's it.

locolorenzo22, BSN, RN · Apr 3, 2011

OP, yeah, our accudose comes up with counts, but I only worry about the serious(red bordered) ones. If they seriously think I have time to count 28 protonix while trying to get meds and work done....they should come up and count it themselves.

carrotstix · Apr 3, 2011

A count comes up on everything in our pyxis. Generally at 0800 if you pull a multivitamin it will say "183, is this correct"? and you just hit yes because it really doesnt matter at that point. I think it helps them keep track of stocking and what we are low on,

rkitty198, BSN, RN · Apr 3, 2011

This one male nurse I used to work with was always dieting.

He said he would take a lasix (on the days he was going to have a date) from the Pyxis, to lose a few lbs of water weight. Geez!

He said since he always misses his lunches and never gets a break he would take one because it was owed to him.

I never saw him do it, but I saw him run to the bathroom several times in an hour, so I guess he got his lasix and his breaks paid to him all in one shift.

sunnycalifRN · Apr 3, 2011

Yesterday.....was pulling meds. The pyxsis asked for a count for lisinopril and claritin. I called pharmacy to see if they had these drawers programmed wrong. Nope. People have been stealing it. WTH? I believe the pharmacy said, "large quantities of it." Prilosec too.
Does this happen at your facitlity?
Do people steal things from your break room, too?
just a curious!

we don't have to count those two drugs, but we count Viagra!! Haha!

And, yes, stuff is stolen from the break room all the time!!

mskate · Apr 3, 2011

We started recently having to count propofol... other than that, its usually just controlled drugs, with the rare exception of counting random meds that usually has to do with the pharmacy trying to verify when things are running low so it has to be re-filled... It will make you verify if there is only 1 or 2 left in the pocket.

sunnycalifRN · Apr 3, 2011

We started recently having to count propofol... *clip*

the Michael Jackson effect!

JusBeinANur · Apr 3, 2011

This is why I don't even take OTC meds from my facilty...I keep a few tabs of pepto & ibuprofen on me so I don't ever have to take anything from them...next thing ya know your accused of stealing meds..or have to count every pill in bld!!

NicuGal, MSN, RN · Apr 3, 2011

We have to count Tylenol bottles, vaseline guaze, little things of Toot Sweet (yes pyxis there is really 368 in there, like I'm going to count THAT!), eye drops, suppositories, and a multitude of other things.

MassED, BSN, RN · Apr 3, 2011

No. That's just weird. Are you also going to count Tylenol, aspirin, Motrin....

akanini, MSN, RN · Apr 3, 2011

Heck, we had to count Colace in our's, LOL...

LMAO!!!!LMAO!!!!

PLEASE tell me you're kidding.. we only count narcotics. Thank goodness!

noctanol · Apr 4, 2011

Hospitals now want you to count anything that is expensive. A great use of very expensive nursing time, oui?
I may be dumb, but doesn't the PYXIS already monitor that?

if nurses would be more accountable and not steal petty drugs like colace, and vitamins then the pharmacy wouldn't make us count them. Just me sayin