quantity

[Sahnel]

Hello
recent member
Just would like to know:

1) If checking the pack quantity of an item must the box be completely opened and every blister taken out this would take ages and slow things down with every item. E.g. large boxes like paracetamol , gabapentin etc.. It would be very difficult to take out every blister and then putting it back in the box??

Thanks

[lamzee]

Yes--check everything. Once it becomes a habit, it won't take long.

[Sahnel]

Thanks

Any other responses anyone . In a community setting it can take time or be impractical to take out every single blister of every box and then check every blister then put back in the box?This I feel would be very difficult? How should the quantity be checked?

Thanks.

[crit care]

you get used to the number of tablets in strips, so counting the strips also may speed up things! i sometimes take a quick peek into the box just to check if anyone has popped out odd tablets from the strips

[Sahnel]

Practically speaking must every blister be taken and every box be opened? then every blister put back checking every blister? or not thanks

[crit care]

practically i rarely count every tablet on every strip for every box of tablets on every script......

it doesn't take that long to open the box and look inside

[medical6969]

Most pharmacists I have asked, do not open the box to check the quantity. They just assume it is full, otherwise it would be marked.

Check out this thread towards the bottom:
Methods of Avoiding the Errors in the first place

[Sahnel]

practically i rarely count every tablet on every strip for every box of tablets on every script......

it doesn't take that long to open the box and look inside

When you say 'rarely' then on what occassions do you check every tablet on every blister on every script... as i feel that would not be easy to do all day??

And when you say 'look inside' is it a quick open of the flap or everything is taken out each blister counted...??not sure. thanks

[crit care]

i'd probably count antibiotics and steroids, especially if it was a reducing course, or where the doctor has indicated for a set number of days...the "look inside" is open the flap and see inside...for full packs i don't think i ever individually count every tablet. But you get used to doing what you find comfortable to do. don't go by what we all do, at the end of the day its your name and number on the line, so if it helps you sleep at night, count every tablet

you have to be realistic...if you have a queue of people outside of the shop, scripts stacking up, customers wanting to speak to you..the last thing you want to do is check every single strip fo tablets

[Sahnel]

i'd probably count antibiotics and steroids, especially if it was a reducing course, or where the doctor has indicated for a set number of days...the "look inside" is open the flap and see inside...for full packs i don't think i ever individually count every tablet. But you get used to doing what you find comfortable to do. don't go by what we all do, at the end of the day its your name and number on the line, so if it helps you sleep at night, count every tablet

you have to be realistic...if you have a queue of people outside of the shop, scripts stacking up, customers wanting to speak to you..the last thing you want to do is check every single strip fo tablets

No; but it gives me an idea/examples to consider.Thats why I posted to get some idea. Counting every tablet on every blister is very difficult all day even if you want to? after opening the box and taking all the blisters out Any ideas any1 to somehow skip this? I mean withn original OP packs not those broken down into a separate carton.

Also what sector do you work in crit care.

Thanks.