Drug Policies
To facilitate scheduling of drug administration times per written orders, the following schedule of times have been approved:
*These schedules are to be determined by when the order is received in the pharmacy and what the turn around time for the order needs to be.
Stat orders are defined as emergency medications (medications that are needed only in life threatening situations) and so written by the prescribing physician. The physician should call a STAT order to the attention of the nurse so it can be taken off the chart immediately. The item will be ready for pickup in the pharmacy within 5 minutes of receiving the faxed order from the nursing unit.
ASAP and Now orders will be delivered to the nursing unit within 30 minutes from the time pharmacy receives the written order. Exception: Chemotherapy will be delivered within 2 hours from the time pharmacy receives the written order.
Routine orders are all orders not written as STAT, ASAP or NOW. Routine orders will be delivered within two (2) hours from the time pharmacy receives the written order.
These solutions are routinely started at 2000 daily and should be ordered prior to 1400. This policy does not apply to neonatal parenteral solutions.
The standard peripheral formula is administered at a rate of 60-125 ml/hr and provides:
| Amino Acids 25g/L(25g/L x 4.3kcal/g =108kcal/L) |
| Dextrose 60g/L(60g/L x 3.42 kcal/g = 205kcal/L) |
| 20% Fat Emulsion 200-400ml/day(2kcal/ml) |
The standard TPN formula provides:
| Amino Acids 42.5g/L(42.5g/L x 4.3kcal/g =184kcal/L) |
| Dextrose 150g/L (150g/L x 3.42 kcal/g = 513kcal/L) |
With the 3 in 1 bags, 20% Fat Emulsion (2kcal/ml) is added one time to the total volume in the amount ordered. Two (2) liters of standard TPN, ordered with 200 ml of 20% fat emulsion, will provide approximately 1800 kcals, 85g protein, 40g fat, and 1.9L water.
All dosage forms in the KUMC Formulary will be designated according to their metric weight or volume and all medication dispensed will be labeled in the metric system. All outpatient prescriptions and inpatient orders should be written in the metric system. The official approximate conversion table for apothecary weights and measures is included in the Table Section.
All medication orders will be reviewed by the attending physician at least every seven (7) days. Narcotics, sedatives, and hypnotic drugs that are ordered without specific limitation as to dosage and time, shall be automatically discontinued after 72 hours, unless specifically reordered by the physician. An automatic stop order does not apply when the number of doses or an exact period of time is specified. Anticoagulant drugs should be ordered specifically as to dosage and time of administration. H2 Antagonists that are ordered for I.V. Administration in stress prophylaxis will be automatically discontinued after 72 hours, unless specifically reordered or changed to PO. The automatic stop will not apply to orders that are specifically written for other indications.
To insure continued patient drug therapy safety and to fulfill the role of a major medical center in the promotion of good health care, all Adverse Drug Reactions (ADR) must be reported. The Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee has defined an adverse drug reaction as: any untoward reaction which is associated with drug therapy and meets any of the following criteria.
An ADR report form has been developed to facilitate reporting and is located on all nursing units and recovery rooms. Any physician, nurse, pharmacist or other health care professional identifying a POSSIBLE adverse drug reaction should file a report. An ADR report may be filed by telephone or by completing a form.
1) Phone - Call The Drug Information Center (ext. 2328) and provide data regarding the reaction. A form will be completed by a Drug Information Pharmacist.
2) Form - Forms are kept on all nursing units and in recovery rooms. The time to complete a form is minimal. The patient's addressograph, the name of the reporter and the name of the institution reporting the ADR is held confidential and protected from public disclosure. Completed forms should be given to the Pharmacy Department by placing them in the Pharmacist's order bin on the nursing unit.
Reporters can designate that the reaction should be reported to the FDA by checking the appropriate box. The more detailed FDA reporting form will then be completed by the Pharmacy Department.
Any questions concerning ADVERSE DRUG REACTION reporting should be referred to the Drug Information Center (ext. 2328).
All adverse reactions reported will be monitored by the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee. KUMC participates in the FDA's MedWatch adverse event reporting program.
Any drug product suspected of having a defect should be reported to the Department of Pharmacy Drug Information Center. A pharmacist will investigate the defect and will file a report to the FDA/USP if indicated.
The Department of Pharmacy provides a Nuclear Pharmacy Service located near the Nuclear Medicine Service. This pharmacy service is responsible for the preparation of the various radiopharmaceuticals used in routine diagnostic procedures. In addition, the nuclear pharmacy will provide special preparations needed for patient care or for research purposes.
Professional drug samples are not to be administered to inpatients. Samples are not to be stored on the nursing units.
Patients bringing their own medication into the hospital shall not have such medication administered unless it can be identified and a written order specific for each medication to be administered is given by the physician.
Click here to go back to Top of Page
If you would like to make an addition or suggestion to this page, please E-mail us!
Return to the Department of Pharmacy HomePage
