Would you give a drug someone else pulled from a pyxis?

[squatmunkie_RN]

For example: if they handed you a pill still in the wrapper? You know it's the right pt/right med etc....there is an EMAR record.

I'm NOT talking about giving a syringe full of a medicine you have no way of confirming what exactly it is...(that should be obvious)

[turnforthenurse, MSN, NP]

Yes. We do it all of the time.

[LLT1964red]

In the name of giving the patient the best care you can,and sometimes you have to do it fast,its a fact in some situations that it is best to do this/always have witness to see if your drawing up/diluting narcs or anything that you feel you need a 2nd check...meds in original packs unless completely not possible.Trust is a big part of nursing.You hold your coworkers capable and responsible for these things as they hold you responsible..There are a few out there that might try cheating the system but somethings gonna look funny if they arent doing the meds like the rest of the nurses do,,ie diverting,and they will get caught...others will notice.IN er especially true.I would generally grab the stuff and go in the er room,draw/dikute w other staff present,,

[SoldierNurse22, BSN, RN]

Absolutely. I've done it before, in fact, and it can be very safe if you follow the normal precautions that you'd take had you pulled the meds yourself (ie, don't use them if the blister pack is opened, do your 3 checks, etc).

However, the time I gave meds that were pulled by another nurse, I caught an error in the med pass while checking the meds (still in their blister packs) against the EMAR, so don't assume anything!

[rntobe1121]

I'm assuming it would be ok as long as it was unopened

[imintrouble, BSN, RN]

I thought this was a pretty cut and dried thread. Yes or no. I'd give the med if it were still wrapped, just like everybody else. I've done it before.

Then I thought about incidences when I've given a med for somebody else. If it's anything that lowers pressure, I want to know that's not a problem. Since I trust all the nurses I work with, "It's ok" works for me.

If I was asked to give Coumadin, I'd have to know the INR.

There are drugs that aren't as simple as giving a Tylenol, and require a little investigation.

[Racer15, BSN, RN]

I work in the ED, I have given vaccines/push meds in trauma situations that other RNs have drawn up, so yes. Now in a non-trauma situation...only if it were in the original packaging.