Medication Management
Reporting errors is not about blame—it’s about this.
Improving patient safety
Who has access to medication rooms and where can I find this information?
Select personnel- Policy: Safety and Storage of Medications
Authorized personnel with access to the locked medication room include but no limited to:
a. Pharmacy staff
b. Nurses/ Nursing assistants
c. Respiratory therapists
d. Central supply room staff
e. Unit representatives
f. Environmental services
g. Engineering staff
The simplest and most important way to prevent infections.
Washing your hands
Define Blind Cycle Count
Blind Cycle Count: a term utilized to indicate that the user(s) is(are) not aware of the correct number of designated medications when verifying inventory in the ADC.
What is the code for a fire, and what number should you dial from inside the hospital and from outside?
Its Facilities Alert: Fire Emergency and Dial #8888 in house or call 911
Using tall-man lettering (like “hydrOXYzine vs. hydrALAZINE”) helps prevent this.
LASA (Look alike sound alike) error risk
This policy outlines automated dispensing cabinets: who has access, medication storage, distribution, documentation and control.
What's the name of this policy and do all hospital employees have access?
Medication Storage and Distribution via Automated Dispensing Cabinet
No, select personnel- access defined by scope of practice.
Authorized ADC User: Anesthesiologists; Anesthesia Technicians; Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA); Nurses (RN/LPN); Pharmacists; Pharmacy Technicians; Cardiovascular Technicians; Nuclear Medicine, Radiology, and Vascular Technologists; Perfusionists; and Respiratory Care Practitioners.
You should never discuss patient information here.
In public areas
How do you change your password or re-enroll your fingerprint on the Omnicell?
Go to the User Menu to either change your password or re-enroll your fingerprint. Fun fact: You can also assist a coworker with re-enrolling their fingerprint by selecting Add User Fingerprint.
What is the acronym for using a fire extinguisher?
The acronym is P.A.S.S.:
P – Pull the pin
A – Aim at the base of the fire
S – Squeeze the handle
S – Sweep side to side until the fire is out
What is a High-alert Medication?
A designated medication that bears a heightened risk of causing significant patient harm when used in error.
This policy describes the automatic duration of a medication order.
Automatic Stop Order Policy
Only share patient information with these people.
Those directly involved in the patient’s care
What is the correct method to perform an inspection on the Omnicell?
The correct method is to use Cycle Count. For non-controlled medications, you can complete the count by yourself. For controlled medications, you must perform the count with a coworker, as the system requires a witness.
You see flames behind a locked supply closet. Should you try to open the door?
No. Evacuate immediately and alert emergency responders. Do not attempt to fight the fire.
How are medication orders with no stop date or prescribed number of doses handled?
In accordance with the Automatic Stop Orders Policy and Automatic Stop Orders Medication List which is built into Epic. The policy, Automatic Stop Orders, can be found on PolicyTech.
This policy describes criteria for using patients home medication inpatient or storage.
Patients Own Medication Storage and Usage During Hospitalization
Throwing patient labels or papers in the trash breaks HIPAA. You should use this instead.
Dispose of paper labels containing patient names or personal information in the Vital Shred bin, or
Use the red (biohazard biopeligro) bin for patient labels attached to plastic bags, or the purple bin if the patient label is attached to a medication.
You're on the floor, and a nurse asks, “Can you witness the waste with me? “What should you do?
You should politely decline, as a pharmacy Techs are not authorized to witness waste. Let the nurse know they must find another nurse to serve as the witness
There is a fire in the hallway, and you are closer to the elevator. The stairs are farther away. What should you do?
Do not use the elevator during a fire. Always use the stairs to evacuate, even if it takes longer. Elevators can malfunction or open directly into the fire, putting you at serious risk.
How do you find Hazardous AHS Assessment of Risk?
The compass- Pharmacy- Clinical Resources-Hazardous Drugs-AHS Assessment of Risk
This policy outlines how medications doses may be rounded.
Medication Dose Rounding Policy
Writing down lot numbers and expiration dates helps with this type of reporting.
Drug recall reporting
You are doing your unit inspection in the Omnicell and come to a controlled medication. You notice that the count is incorrect- what are your next steps?
Omnicell will prompt you to verify the count. After verification, you will create a discrepancy report. The discrepancy must then be resolved by the previous person who accessed the medication, either from the nursing unit or pharmacy.
What should you do if you see a fire?
RACE
Rescue people in immediate danger
Alarm-Pull fire alarm and Dial emergency # 8888 to confirm location
Contain by closing all doors
Extinguish the fire only if possible. Evacuate if necessary. Horizontally then Vertically.