My Director of Pharmacy is interested in seeing how other hospitals are handling the dispensing of half of a tablet. Currently we are labeling each individual tablet with a sticker that states, "dose equals half tablet" and documenting on the EMar to give half a tablet for dose. Are you cutting the tablets then prepaking them? Any ideas or thoughts?
Thanks

Name of Facility: Joint Township District Memorial Hospital

City, State: Hospital

Years as a Buyer: 6

We're considered a unit dose hospital. Therefore, all items that go up to the floor or in the dispensing machines must be the actual dose. We do not count on the nurse reading the MAR and only giving half a tablet. If the dose is a half tab we prepackage in Pharmacy and on the label it will say ex: 5mg=1/2 tab of - - - - . It is too easy to have a med error if the exact dose is not sent.

Years as a Buyer: 17 tech 34

We used to do it this we, but changed last year. We put a note dosage strength sticker on package and enter it on the mar as dose = half a tablet. This cuts down on us having to stock a ton of UD half tabs in our Omnicells.

Mistakes are a concern but how is it really any different than a nurse having to be trusted to waste 1mg of 2mg dilauded or lorazepam IV dose to give a patient?

Name of Facility: Emanuel Medical Center

Years as a Buyer: 3