Hospitals typically have a central pharmacy, and sometimes satellite or unit-dose pharmacies, from which medications are dispensed.
The type of drug distribution system used depends on the hospital's size, patient population, available resources, and institutional policies.
Dispensing refers to the process of preparing and providing medications to patients based on the physician's prescription. In a hospital setting for inpatients:
1. Order Review:
When a physician prescribes a medication, the order is reviewed by the hospital pharmacist to check for the appropriateness of the dose, potential drug interactions, allergies, and other therapeutic concerns.
2. Preparation and Packaging:
Once the medication order is verified, the medication is prepared and packaged.
This might involve counting tablets, preparing liquid dosages, or compounding medications.
3. Labeling:
The medication package is labeled with the patient's name, bed number, drug name, dose, route of administration, frequency, and any special instructions.
4. Delivery:
The prepared medications are then delivered to the nursing station or directly to the patient.
This could be done through a variety of methods depending on the distribution system in place.
5. Administration:
It's usually the responsibility of the nursing staff to administer the medication to the patient.
The nurse checks the medication against the patient's chart to ensure it matches the prescribed order before administration.
6. Documentation:
After administration, the nurse documents the time and any other relevant details about the administration in the patient's medical record.
