[DanceRN]

Just wondering what the rest of the country is using ??? My facility just switched from Diebold to Pyxis. We hate Pyxis but were not included in the decision to switch. We keep reminding ourselves what it was like to count narcotics, keep up with the keys.... Any other systems out there ? Comments ?

[kimmiejs]

Originally Posted by DanceRN

Just wondering what the rest of the country is using ??? My facility just switched from Diebold to Pyxis. We hate Pyxis but were not included in the decision to switch. We keep reminding ourselves what it was like to count narcotics, keep up with the keys.... Any other systems out there ? Comments ?

When we first went from the outdated system of counting narcotics we used Pyxis. Now we are using the Accudose Medication System. I have used all three systems (Accudose, Pyxis, and Diebold) now and I honestly can't say one is better than the other. You are definitely right about the improvement form the old days. I hated having to count the narcotics at the end of a shift, if a nurse left early, if someone sneezed wrong. Talk about a pain

[cassioo]

Of the 4 hospitals in the immediate area where I work Pyxis is what's used in 3 of them the other uses their Omniocell for narcotics. One of the hospitals is using the barscan of their Pyxis and the other 2 are working to get theirs.
My personal problem with the Pyxis is remembering 3 different passwords at my full time, per diem and clinical site hospitals. I usually want to use the full time one everywhere.

[kimmiejs]

Originally Posted by cassioo

Of the 4 hospitals in the immediate area where I work Pyxis is what's used in 3 of them the other uses their Omniocell for narcotics. One of the hospitals is using the barscan of their Pyxis and the other 2 are working to get theirs.
My personal problem with the Pyxis is remembering 3 different passwords at my full time, per diem and clinical site hospitals. I usually want to use the full time one everywhere.

The one benefit to Pyxis that I liked was the "receipt" that printed out with patient name, medication, dose and time removed. I used these as a reminded to when the patient could get his or her next dose of medication.

[nursinghumor]

I enjoyed having the Pyxis around, saved me countless trips to the pharmacy for new orders and stat doses. Didn't miss the narcotic counts either.

They're extremely expensive and main advantage (to management) is that it gives a detailed automatic billing statement so the patient can be charged.

Missed it when I moved jobs and got the "keys" back.

Andrew Lopez, RN
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http://www.4nursing.com

[abu1030]

We use the Pyxis system at my Hospital. It is alright I guess. Sometimes it is a little bit too much when you need to get into it and there are 3 other people waiting, and they all have someone in dire need of pain medication. At times like that I much preferred the keys method and the good old Narc-Cabinet. At least you could sneak in and take what you needed and chart it later...

[hsieh]

this is what i don't like about pyxis - a (drug addict) nurse can open the drawere and say the count is short and pocket the amount they claim is short make the nurse before them look bad.

[kimmiejs]

Originally Posted by hsieh

this is what i don't like about pyxis - a (drug addict) nurse can open the drawere and say the count is short and pocket the amount they claim is short make the nurse before them look bad.

I never thought about that. If the nurse diverts medications there will always be a paper trail. I would imagine suspicions would be raised if a certain nurse always created a discrepancy with narcotics by stating the amount in drawer was incorrect when she opened it.

[abu1030]

I never thought about that either. The pyxis in the unit I work in is right in the nurses station, so in order for someone to pocket meds they would have to be very fast and clever. I cannot imagine anyone trying it where I work. That is a very scary thought.

[BigRedNurse]

The pyxis is all I've ever known; never considered deliberately "miscounting" so as to steal narcs, but I hope that I'm never the previous user if this happens in our facility!