Chapter 7:

Medication Distribution Systems

Group 2
Castillo, Alodia
Chiong, Paul Aureo
Claveria, Alison
De Guzman, Regina
Decampong, Jehhan
De Guzman, Aryssa

THE UNIT DOSE

PROCESS

Vary depending on:

Institution (Pneumatic Tube Systems)
Level of Technology in the System (Automated Dispensing Cabinets)
Type of Medication (Different Medicines = Different Handling)

Medication
orders written
and sent to
pharmacy

New order is
recorded onto
the MAR

On the unit, nurse

checks the
medication
against the
patients MAR

Pharmacist
receives and
reviews orders

Medication is sent
to floor by courier,
by pneumatic
tube, or with a
nurse

Nurse
administers the
medication to the
patient

Order is entered
into the drug
profile

Order is filled by
tech and
checked by
pharmacist

Nurse records when

and how the drug
was administered
on the patients
MAR

Medication Orders

Written on the patient care area and sent to

the pharmacy through various methods
Pneumatic Tubes (pressurized tubes)
Decentralized Pharmacy Satellites
Computerized Physician Order Entry

Order Review

Pharmacist
In charge of reviewing the order
Clarifies any discrepancies with the prescriber

Drug Medication
Profile

Primary record used by pharmacists to

document patient medications

Filling of Order

Technician
Generates and fills the order for enough doses
until the next cart fill

Utilize a 24-hour cart fill, whereby a 24-hour

supply of drug is sent to the floor at a specified
time period each day

Sends the filled order to the unit after the

pharmacist has checked it for accuracy and
appropriateness

Medication Administration
Record

Updated on the nursing unit

Record of all the medications that are prescribed
for the patient, including administering times
Vary according to the software system used
Double-checking against the patient order to
ensure that it is appropriate
In completely computerized record keeping
systems: electronic and instantly updated with
each new order
Some systems: hard copy is printed every 24 hours

Unit Dose Systems

Goal
Reduce the cognitive burden on the nurses in
the administration process

Unit use of package/Unit dose package

Contain the correct dose for the patient in a readyto-administer form and do not require any
preparation by the nurse
Medication includes a label: name of the
medication, its strength, expiration date, bar code
identifier
Nurse: MAR
Unit of use package in patients
medication bin
Give to patient

Nursing Unit

Automated Dispensing
Locked Medication
Cabinets
Carts