Ch. 11 - Hospital Pharmacy Dispensing Key Terms

Admitting Order

A medication order written by a physician on admission of a patient to the hospital; may or may not include a medication order.

automated medication dispensing system (AMDS)

A secure, locked storage cabinet of designated drugs on a nursing unit whose software can track the dispensing and administration of each dose of medication to each patient.

Cart fill list

A printout of all unit dose profiles for all patients.

Director of Pharmacy

The chief executive officer of the pharmacy department.

discharge order

A doctors' order that states that the patient may leave the hospital; necessary for a patient to be discharged.

drug formulary

A list of provider-preferred generic and brand-name drugs covered under various insurance plans.

Electronic Health Record (EHR)

A computerized lifelong health care record for an individual incorporating data from providers who treat the individual.

eMAR

Electronic medication administration record.

floor stock

Medications stocked in a secured area on each patient care unit.

home infusion pharmacy

A specialty pharmacy set up particularly to serve home healthcare dispensing.

Home Medications

A patient's medication brought from home to continue use while in the hospital.

Institutional Review Board (IRB)

A committee of the hospital ensuring that appropriate protection is provided to patients using investigational drugs.

intake record

Documentation by the nurse upon admission to the hospital.

IV admixture

Compounded sterile preparation prepared by adding medication to an IV bag.

Investigational drug

A drug that has not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for marketing but is in clinical trials.

The Joint Commission

A nonprofit created to ensure that patients receive the safest, highest quality care in any health care setting.

medical chart

Legal record of all medical care a patient, resident, or client receives.

Medication order

A prescription written for administration in a hospital or institutional setting.

Nonformulary drug

A drug not included on the hospital's drug formulary.

par levels

A minimum quantity to be maintained in inventory.

Pharmacy and Therapeutics (P&T) Committee

A committee that reviews, approves, and revises the hospital's formulary of drugs and maintains drug use policies.

Pick station

An area of the inpatient pharmacy that houses frequently prescribed formulary drugs in unit dose packaging.

policy and procedures manual

A step-by-step set of instructions for pharmacists and technicians on operations within the pharmacy department.

Quality Assurance (QA)

An assessment of quality based on external standards involving review of activities.

STAT order

A single order carried out immediately.

Tech Check Tech

A senior pharmacy technician checks another technician's work for verification of medication orders before administration.

total parenteral nutrition (TPN)

An IV infusion therapy treatment that supplies all the nutrition needed by the body.

unit dose

A package containing the amount of a drug required for one dose.

Unit Dose Cart

A mobile cart with a drawer for each patient.

Unit Dose Product Label

Contains product information on drug labels including drug name, dose, strength, manufacturer, expiration date, and barcode.