S8 Drug Keys, Handling of S8 Drugs Options

[Raytek]

Does the society have a policy or is there one in place in regard to Anaesthetic technicians having possession of the S8 drug keys ?

[Guest_Barbara_*]

Drug policies vary from state to state.
Please check your state's regulations.
If these do not reflect current practice, then I would suggest lobbying your govt to address this issue.

[Guest_Jerry Barrett_*]

Hi
Thought this might help your quest. We here at King Edward Memorial Hospital for Women [Perth, WA] hold the S8 keys as Anaesthetic Techicians, with a DDA drug cupboard in every Anaesthetic Room. This policy works extremly well, we all carry a licence from the head Pharmacist and undergo an annual drug calc test to requalify.

Hope this helps!! Good Luck

Jerry

[Shane Guy]

This is a message for Jerry Barrett,
Are you employed as an allied health professional ? What sort of issues are examinable for holding the S8 drug keys ? We have a drug checking course in Canberra that allows us to coount drugs into registers but not to hold the keys. I would like to address this to our anaesthetic advisory comitee meeting for the hospital.
Looking forward to your reply.
Yours Sincerely
Shane Guy

[Guest_Guest_*]

Hi Shane

Sorry for the delay, off for Christmas!

We are employed as Anaesthetic Technicians, we sit an annual drug calculation test and are interviewed by the Head of Pharmacy. We have S8 cupboards in all our Anaesthetic Rooms and carry the keys & issue drugs to the Anaesthetist plus sign the S8 register. Our signatures are recorded by the Pharmacy Dept. Our C/N Anaesthetic Dept is an RN. As far as I know we are the only group on AT's that have this pleasure and it works very well.
Feel free to mail me on Jeremy.Barrett@health.wa.gov.au are you going to the conference in Perth this year?

[Guest_timmy_*]

What are S8 keys. Is it the same as DDA?

If so then i'd like to leave it to the nurses.

When i was in the UK and most induction rooms had a DDA cupboard i found it a real hassel finding someone to check the drugs with me AM/Lunch/PM. You have a million other things to do and you have to run back from the tea room to get drugs out. Or you have to page the gas man to come back and sign the register.

That's how i feel.

[Guest_Jerry Barrett_*]

Hi Timmy

As all the Tech's hold their 'poison permit' then we can check the S8 [DDA] drugs with each other, no need to find an RN like we have to do in the UK!

[Guest_Shane_*]

G'day Jerry,
Thanks for your reply. We in Canberra have an Accredited Enrolled Nurse Drug Checking course which has been signed off by the Minister of Health. This allows us to counter sign the drug register an RN, Pharmasist and the prescribing Doctor but not to carry the S8 keys. I am at the moment lobbying to ACT Health in relation to this matter and hopefully we will follow suit in what you guy's have achieved over in WA.
I think that we should be able to deal with the responcibilities of holding the drug keys and dispence accurately to provide a full service to the Anaesthetist, I have had no drug's missing at the end of the day due to vigilance and accurate dispencing. I think most of us are capable of counting.
Yes I will be attending the Perth conference in 2004 and look forward to seeing you there too.

Cheers.
Shane

[Jerry]

That?s great Shane

I am sure that all these isolated cases of added responsibility by various Tech?s in various parts of the country will inevitably lead to it becoming normal working practice. However at the moment, I fear these is too much apathy towards the case. As far as I know, we are the only hospital in WA that fill this role of carrying the S8 keys, but it is early days and as perceptions of our profession changes amongst our health care colleagues then so to will our role. The UK example is a good one to quote on this type of scenario.
See you at the conference.

Jerry

[Guest_Guest_dogs_*]

At the Mater (Townsvile, QLD) all AT's are EN's...under the Qld Drugs and Poisons Act 1996 there is NO provision for someone who is not a NURSE (EN or RN) to hold DD/S8 keys..EN's at the Mater do carry keys as the act DOES NOT forbid them from doing so. This policy varies from hospital to hospital. As long as the hospital does not contravene the act they can pretty much do what they want...It is important to remember that ASAPO, or your hospital can write whatever policy they want but it can NOT contravene the LAW. Administration of drugs by EN's is currently under review and more can be found out about proposed changes by visiting the Queensland Nursing Council website.

[Raytek]

At the Mater (Townsvile, QLD) all AT's are EN's...under the Qld Drugs and Poisons Act 1996 there is NO provision for someone who is not a NURSE (EN or RN) to hold DD/S8 keys..EN's at the Mater do carry keys as the act DOES NOT forbid them from doing so. This policy varies from hospital to hospital. As long as the hospital does not contravene the act they can pretty much do what they want...It is important to remember that ASAPO, or your hospital can write whatever policy they want but it can NOT contravene the LAW. Administration of drugs by EN's is currently under review and more can be found out about proposed changes by visiting the Queensland Nursing Council website.

Since I began this topic a lot has happened. The heirarchy at our hospital wants to take the S8 keys off us that we have held for 6 years. However with a bit of anaesthetist support and reviewing of the NSW legislation we have held them off. In NSW it currently states that if you are under the supervision of an authorized practitioner you can possess S8 medication . Well don't know what you all think but it certainly seems to indicate that we can have possession of S8's when working with an anaesthetist.