Unlocking Stocked Bins
When a selected bin is stocked with a medication, there is an extra step to complete before unlocking the bin (See Accessing the Bins). When the bin is selected, a new screen will appear with an inventory of that bin.
To open the bin, select the desired medication for use by pressing on the column for that medication. Once this is selected, a new screen will appear with information about the medication and options to:
- Dispense the Medication
- Return the Medication
- Waste the Medication
- Restock the medication
Choose the option that applies to the current situation. Upon doing this, a new screen will appear with one or two blanks to be filled out. These blanks will include one or both of:
- The quantity of medication (always included)
- The patient ID number whom the medication is for (included for certain actions)
Fill these fields in by selecting the blank and then entering the corresponding numbers with the keyboard that appears. Be sure to press save after creating the entry. After all of the blanks are populated, select the icon at the top of the screen that corresponds to the current action being performed to unlock the bin.
Summary of the different actions with Medications
| Action | Description | Net Effect on Running Count | Patient ID Required | Witness Required |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dispense | This is performed when removing a drug from the cabinet to administer to a patient. | Lowers running count by the amount dispensed | Yes | No |
| Return | After a medication has been removed and administered, some of that medication may remain because it was not administered. This action is done to return the remaining medication to the cabinet. | Raises running count by the amount returned | Yes | No |
| Waste | Similarly to when returning is performed, another option when medication remains after administering a dose to a patient is to waste the medication. Wasting involves disposing of the drug instead of returning it to the cabinet. Although the cabinet is not unlocked for this action, it must still be recorded that wasting was performed. | No net effect on running count | Yes | Yes |
| Restock | Restocking is performed whenever a medication is being refilled in the cabinet. This action has no relation to patients and is simply refilling the current stocks of medication within the cabinet. | Raises running count by the amount restocked | No | No |
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