profiled and non-
profiled. Profiled
cabinets are
equipped for two-
way communication
with a facility's phar-
macy; when medica-
tion orders are
entered, pharmacists
review and approve
the medications. The
catch here is that
you can't access medications until orders has been approved, so nurs-
es may have to wait to select and administer the medication to their
patients. Non-profiled cabinets do not require a pharmacist's review
and approval of ordered meds, so a nurse would not have to wait to
administer doses. However, that means you lose the additional level
of safety provided by pharmacist verification, points out Ms.
Mandrack, who says ISMP strongly advocates for the use of profiled
automated dispensing cabinets.
The cabinets come with a variety of security features designed to
improve patient safety. All have a display screen where you scroll
through to find the patient's name. Once you select the correct patient
and medication, the drawer containing the drug will open. Some of
these automated drawers are matrix style with open slots where med-
ications are stored. It would be the nurse's job to choose the right slot
with the correct medication.
"The drawers that are set up with lock-lidded storage pockets pro-
vide a much more secure configuration than the open matrix style,"
says Ms. Mandrack. "As the drawer opens, the pocket with the select-
9 0 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • A P R I L 2 0 1 8
• EASY PICKINGS Automated dispensing cabinets keep drugs secure and help staff
identify the medications needed for individual patients.
Pamela
Bevelhymer,
RN,
BSN,
CNOR
