Med Errors and reality

[Judyd]

My hospital has gone to electronic Mars. A laptop on a cart we give meds as entered by pharmacy and checked by us, scan each med and the pt arm band, like produce at the check out counter. I have found it has corrected me from more errors than I ever cared to admit. God what I would give for a little more time for pt caring. Interesting poll.

[KrissR]

We are going to that system in several months. Glad to hear a good report on it. Recently we had a patient that had local skin reaction to sulfadene salve. It was clearing written on MAR that he was alergic to sulfa but no one not even the pharmacy made the connection. Perhaps the computerized system would have picked up on it.

[mercynurse]

I'd like the opportunity to try this system!

[Judyd]

We have also been using phones we carry with us, the pts call us directly for their needs, now they are asking us to try the over head piece to free both hands to work while we talk. I have found this very disconcerting when I want to talk to another nurse, as I can not tell when they are free for me to talk to or not. My deep concern is that the pts will feel the same way, and how much more difficult this may make for us to keep pt confidentiality, with all this multitasking while we are suppose to be free to do more pt care at the same time. So far I have refused this new and improved work saver??? It would free my hands for meds and other stuff during all the times I am put on hold.Any comments regarding this.

[mercynurse]

One of my concerns is the ability to concentrate on the main task at hand....are thye asking for to much "multitasking?"
I had been asked to get a headset that i could use while I pulled arterial lines and was holding pressure...I didn't agree....was afraid I'd loose control of the situation and not pay close enough attention. in the end, my superiors agreed...thank goodness!

[Judyd]

Oh, yes I agree whole heartedly, If my brain could stretch to cover so many varied topics and do good at each at the same time, I would have loved to learn to play a pipe organ instead of a saxaphone which plays one good note at a time. LOL

[HemoStat]

If we shoved a broom up our behinds, they'd make us sweep up after ourselves!!! (so don't tell THEM)

Enough is Enough!!!! I wanna be a nurse - a great nurse!!!

When I'm with one patient, I STAY there, making him/her feel like the most important person in the universe. (which they ARE) Multi-tasking, to me, depersonalizes them and minimizes them as people. It is distracting and contributes to poor assessments, and unnecessary errors.

(did I get off track again? sorry!)

[nursinghumor]

Computers are only as good as the people programming and using them.

We've had Pyxis Machines for years and it doesn't correct mistakes by physicians writing illegible orders, or pharmacy/unit secretaries taking them off incorrectly or nurses that are being rushed and make mistakes.

Bout the only thing they're good for is saving time vs running to pharmacy for common meds, and for making sure the patient gets billed for every freakin Tylenol.

Andrew Lopez, RN
http://www.nursinghumor.com

[HemoStat]

And the Pyxis (or Med-Dispense in my facility) is only as good as the pharmicist programming it. Ours was a nightmare until all the nurses boycotted it. Admin fixed that after about 3 days of us ganging up on the pharmacist who was whinning about the nurses bothering him. Inputting data and filling the darn thing makes it a whole lot user friendly!!!

The trueism is, there will always be med errors and it requires the diligence of everyone from the doctor to the patient and all parties in between to keep them to a minimum. Doesn't matter if you have a computer or are doing it all by hand, if one person drops the ball an error will be made. Sad but true.

[cassioo]

I had an error the other day. It wasn't a med error but a "transcription/communication" error. We have 1 lady Phillipino MD who has the worst writing every (she's family practice and came to my OB unit as a consult) Her hudsband is a surgeon and says he can't read her writing either. So she write her orders and I ask her what they say (so I thought) and I take notes as she's reading them to me. Well the next day she says where is this BMP? I show her the lab results from the BMP I'd ordered the day before she says no I ordered a BMP (at least that's what I heard and am still hearing with her accent) Well if finally comes out she wanted a BNP not a BMP but the N looked like a M and it sounded like it too when she said it several times and I was saying that is a BMP. It was kind of funny she's saying no not BMP...a BMP (BNP) and me saying that is a BMP. She could stand a computer to type on if she knew how to spell or say what she wanted. Usually everyone gathers around her orders and votes on what it says.