Module 3 Drug Monitoring Essay
Drug Monitoring and Procedures
Steven Z. Beard
Grand Canyon University: HLT-316V Biopharmaceuticals
December 1st, 2012
Drug Monitoring and Procedures
Procedures and protocols in a health care facility are very important regarding the handling, storing and monitoring of drugs. You need a very strict charting system in place and a very specific set of guidelines and rules to follow. You need a chain of command with exceptional ethics, and more than one person keeping track of every single medication carried and distributed within you facility. Our new facility is becoming very popular and busy; we are an urgent care, we have two providers, and x-ray tech, a medical assistant and two front desk employees on staff every day. We have very strict protocols when it comes to handling, storing, and monitoring drugs that have to be followed on a daily basis. As the department manager I am in charge of keeping track and enforcing all protocols and procedures. The only employees that are able to access medication are the providers and the back office staff which includes x-ray technicians and medical assistants. We have two medication closets where all of our drugs are stored. We have one for storing generic drugs such as ibuprofen, Tylenol, phentermine etc. and another for storing all controlled drugs such as Percocet, vicodin, Tylenol 3, etc. No one is to access the closet containing the controlled drugs alone until all drugs are accounted for and charted first thing in the morning. The providers are the only staff with keys to both the closets. We have a very strict charting system for all medications, generic or controlled, which is to be done in the morning before the day even starts. The provider is responsible for opening the closet and counting all medications with a back office staff member present. This is charted on a paper document with all mediations listed and both staff members are to sign off. The same process is followed
Steven Z. Beard
Grand Canyon University: HLT-316V Biopharmaceuticals
December 1st, 2012
Drug Monitoring and Procedures
Procedures and protocols in a health care facility are very important regarding the handling, storing and monitoring of drugs. You need a very strict charting system in place and a very specific set of guidelines and rules to follow. You need a chain of command with exceptional ethics, and more than one person keeping track of every single medication carried and distributed within you facility. Our new facility is becoming very popular and busy; we are an urgent care, we have two providers, and x-ray tech, a medical assistant and two front desk employees on staff every day. We have very strict protocols when it comes to handling, storing, and monitoring drugs that have to be followed on a daily basis. As the department manager I am in charge of keeping track and enforcing all protocols and procedures. The only employees that are able to access medication are the providers and the back office staff which includes x-ray technicians and medical assistants. We have two medication closets where all of our drugs are stored. We have one for storing generic drugs such as ibuprofen, Tylenol, phentermine etc. and another for storing all controlled drugs such as Percocet, vicodin, Tylenol 3, etc. No one is to access the closet containing the controlled drugs alone until all drugs are accounted for and charted first thing in the morning. The providers are the only staff with keys to both the closets. We have a very strict charting system for all medications, generic or controlled, which is to be done in the morning before the day even starts. The provider is responsible for opening the closet and counting all medications with a back office staff member present. This is charted on a paper document with all mediations listed and both staff members are to sign off. The same process is followed
References: Kalra, Jay. (2011). Medical Errors and Patient Safety: Strategies to Reduced and Disclose Medical Errors and Improve Patient Safety. Berlin: De Gruyter. Wright, Dean. (2009). Controlled substances prescription Monitoring Program. Retrieved from http://www.azpharmacy.gov/cs-rx_monitoring/aboutpmp.asp. Accessed Dec. 1, 2012. Kaiser, Katharina. Miksch, Silvia. Tu, Samson W. (2004). Computer-based support for clinical guidelines and protocols: proceedings of the symposium on computerized guidelines and protocols (Vol. 101). IOS Press.