I would like to know how other PACU nurses document the waste of narcotic when you are on call and there is not a second RN to witness the waste. Do you leave it for the next regular shift to document the waste? This is aproblem for us since we don't have the patients chart to verify what was given. Or do you dispose of the narcotic without a second witness?
Thank you,
Anna
About Me
- OPANA Ontario Perianesthesia Nurses Association
- Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- OPANA is a nursing association dedicated to the improvement of perianesthesia nursing standards.
2 comments:
OPANA recommends that when you are solo staffed and the next nurse does not arrive until long after you leave, that you should copy the page where you
documented the narcotic administration, leave it and the unused portion of your narcotic vial together in the narcotic lockup. The next nurse then can
see the waste and the documentation to match and cosign your waste.
This can also be the method for end of shift narcotic counts when the following nurse does not arrive for some time. You can perform the count independently, and be the first signing RN. The next nurse to arrive in the
unit can repeat the count independently and sign as the second RN.
Hope this helps you and please don't hesitate to contact us again.
Paula,
OPANA
To add to this question we are using pyxis in our PACU all medication are dispensed through this unit and the waste is done electronically so there is no paper trail
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