Our Union is not asking you to participate in a job action. We are simply providing you with information to protect your job and your license.
Our Union has seen an increase in investigations and disciplinary actions and wants you to be aware. There are things you can do to protect your practice and your license.
No matter how busy it gets:
- DO ensure there is a written order for any medication you administer. If the order was a verbal order or telephone order, write the order before you medicate the patient. The only exception should be during a code and someone is documenting what is going on.
- DO NOT remove any partial doses requiring a witness from the Omnicell unless you have the witness there when you remove it. If no one is available, call your manager, director, house supervisor or a pharmacist. Do not remove the med for any reason unless someone is available as witness.
- DO immediately call your manager or a pharmacist if you are having difficulty documenting any waste.
- DO NOT remove a controlled medication for a co-worker, including physicians. You are responsible if any waste is not documented or the medication administration is not documented.
- DO immediately chart any medications given, especially controlled meds no matter what else is going on. If you don’t chart it and forget, it looks like you never administered the med. If scheduled medications are late, chart why that happened. If there is patient care that isn’t being done, notify your manager. It is their responsibility to find help.
Protect yourself, your job, and your license!