Med Pass

The other day I had my first skills test on passing medications. There is a lot more to giving a patient medication, then just handing it to them and making sure that they take it (see previous post for more details). At our school, we are lucky enough to have an amazing simulator hospital to practice our skills with. We even have two pyxis machines. Pyxis machines are computerized machines that lock up any medications that we get from the pharmacy. My mentor, who has been practicing this particular skill with me for a hile now, was the one who tested me. I'm happy to say that I passed. She told me a did a wonderful job, but I know there is a lot that I still need to work on. This sort of stuff is eventually going to be second nature to me. Two of the most important things in nursing are Patient Safety and Documantation. Patient safety is something that should always be remembered by any healthcare worker. We have to make sure that they don't fall out of bed, slip on the floor, get the wrong medication, take a medication that they are allergic to, etc. It's a lot of work, but that what we are there for. We also have to constantly document, because for example, if a nurse looks at a patient's wound and doesn't measure the size of it and document it, she could be liable. If a nurse doesn't document that she called a doctor about a certain medication that she/he held because it didn't interact well with another med, or the patient refused, then he/she has no protection if for some reason it goes to court. It's a scary world out there, and a nurse should always protect themselves when they are in the right. I am learning how to do physical assessments now! I feel like I am so behind! But I guess I always say that. Thanks for reading!