Open Forum

Greetings! 

Our organization is facing the challenge of scanning multi-dose containers (MDC) versus single-dose containers (SDC). Because we don't allow MDC into patient rooms, our process is to prepare/label the container, barcode scan in the medication preparation area, satisfy any "hardstops" in our EMR, then go into the patient room, open the Medication Administration Record, verify patient name/DOB, medication, and then administer. The underlying issue is that the administration is technically being documented before the administration and not in the patient room for MDC. We also do not have patient ID wristbands for use in our ambulatory system. My questions are:

What is your barcode scanning process?
Do you have a separate process for MDC vs. SDC?

I would appreciate any additional tips or processes your organization uses for medication barcode scanning.

Thank you!

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Sharon Peacock, MSN-Ed., RN, NPD-BC, AMB-BC
Nursing Professional Development
Sentara Ambulatory Services Division | Charlottesville, VA
Chair AAACN Staff and Patient Education SIG
sjpeacoc@sentara.com
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Sharon,

Our company has a Wholesale Pharmacy that we order all our clinic administered medications through and they send a sheet of peel-off labels with any multi-dose containers (our system calls the labels tadpoles). Each label has a scannable barcode, medication name, lot and expiration date. When we draw up a dose, we pull off a label to take into the room with us to scan instead of the multi-dose container. 

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Melissa Ropella
Fairview Medical Group
Burnsville MN
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Original Message:
Sent: 03-30-2026 12:17
From: Sharon Peacock
Subject: Barcode Scanning of Multi-Dose Containers and Single Dose Containers

Greetings! 

Our organization is facing the challenge of scanning multi-dose containers (MDC) versus single-dose containers (SDC). Because we don't allow MDC into patient rooms, our process is to prepare/label the container, barcode scan in the medication preparation area, satisfy any "hardstops" in our EMR, then go into the patient room, open the Medication Administration Record, verify patient name/DOB, medication, and then administer. The underlying issue is that the administration is technically being documented before the administration and not in the patient room for MDC. We also do not have patient ID wristbands for use in our ambulatory system. My questions are:

What is your barcode scanning process?
Do you have a separate process for MDC vs. SDC?

I would appreciate any additional tips or processes your organization uses for medication barcode scanning.

Thank you!

------------------------------
Sharon Peacock, MSN-Ed., RN, NPD-BC, AMB-BC
Nursing Professional Development
Sentara Ambulatory Services Division | Charlottesville, VA
Chair AAACN Staff and Patient Education SIG
sjpeacoc@sentara.com
------------------------------