Re: medication blanks

[Delores234]

Brenda,
My experience is that no disciplinary action is taken, in fact nurses become very argumentative when audit reports are presented.  No one ever worked the day the blanks occurred.

I could never figure out why nurses do not include medication and treatment blanks in the change of shift report.  Don't you think we should be auditing eachother?  By the time an audit is completed it is technically illegal to go back and 'fill-in' the blanks.

I could not figure this out until I worked ICU, if I mentioned documentation gaps I was considered "a complainer."  And other nurses worked very hard to find my documentation issues.  I always thanked the reporter but it made no difference.  If they worked as hard on their own documentation it would have been perfect

Delores

First of all, nursing shortage or not, nurses need to be accountable for signing off their medications.  This is a standard that is taught in nursing school and, if they were to ever go on a witness stand or do a disposition, then they would think again about leaving a blank.  Sure, we are all human and leave one every now and then, but, if I worked the floor, that is the last thing I do at the end of my shift, is check my marâs and tarâs for blanks.  Here are a lot of corrective actions out there.  One is to audit marâs and tarâs every day until the situation becomes under control and HOLD EVERYONE ACCOUNTABLE.  If they find out you are looking, they will make more of an effort to do what they should.  Follow your own facility policy for disciplinary action regarding this occurrence.  It in a court of law, it would be negligence by omission.  Our nurse consultant has a law degree and is going to hold a mock trial for us.  We are going to use some medication and treatment blanks for some of the trial.  I think they will think again before they will leave blanks after they have sat through this. 

Delores L. Galias, RN, RHIT

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