NursingLink

What is understood about borrowing medications from one patient to another in a long term care? I was told at one facility that it was illegal and if we did it they would have the police called and we would be exited from the facility in hand cuffs. This place I was told it was common to use others meds when the a resident doesn't have meds or if someones meds are dc'd they will use it for another. I always thought of it as illegal. I was told today to quit worrying, it's no big deal.  What are your thoughts, am I being a spaz and worrying to much?

WOW  that is a question!!  I know in the hospital setting we do borrow from one to the next but it always get replaced before the original pt needs it or at least before the end of the shift by phamacy because we send a missing dose form down to pharmacy. In the hospital setting a pt is only billed for medications used.  When an order to dc an medication is recieved they no longer are billed for it.  I see the point that if the original pt is no longer taking said medication that people would say use it on another pt if it is exactly the same medication dosage/strength.  However as pointed out it was paid for by the other pt and now another pt is benifiting from that pt loss.  hmmmm..  That is not very ethical is it.  Why if the medication was ordered is it not available for the pt who needs it?  If this is an on-going problem that is not corrected by the next day or so then it needs to be addressed as to why the pt can not get the said medication through the pharmacy.  If it is a question as to his or her insurance not covering it then the doctor needs to be involved and the problem corrected.  It may be as easy as getting a preauth from the Dr. or getting it changed to another similar product that is covered by the pt insurance.  By not having the duck in a row (so to speak) your facility could get into alot of trouble...  I would think...

As we all know only too well, things don't always work the way they should in a LTC. I worked in one for 2 1/2 years. Anything and everything does happen and usually it's on the 3-11 shift when there is no one around to ask questions of and you are left hanging in the wind on your own.     We know you shouldn't  borrow from one patient to anotther. You're not suppose to, but we all did, at times. A new patient.hasn't got their meds yet and one of them is very important ( an antibiotic or heart medication) and it needs to be given NOW. It happens. When their medication comes in, just replace the borrowed one. You don't have to announce it to everyone. And it shouldn't be on a continual basis, just in a pinch. We would even borrow narcotics, signing them out as borrowed for such and such patient (supposedly replaced when able)-two nurses had to sign for this to occur. We were forbidden however to borrow meds of any kind from one unit to another unit, understandably. Things in a LTC are not always the way they should be. It would be nice if they were. It would make our lives alot easier. (I could tell you some stories!) You have to be resourceful in a LTC.   You must also be very careful. Remember you worked hard for your license-you don't want to lose it!

squirmals-you are right-everything should be done to give the patients the best care possible. After all, they are what it's all about. I also agree with the statement (regarding LTC) "everything you're taught not to do, nurses do". It's a crazy place to work.