Approved Hospital Formulary
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Approved Hospital Formulary
7/17/25 PKS SOP reminders - admin notes, drain prophylaxis
July 17, 2025
Between new hires and new residents, an abundance of training is taking place. This gets people thinking about standard operating procedures not always being followed or that need clarification. Two items regarding PKS have come up so far.
- When a drug level is ordered, always include an Admin Note stating when the level will be drawn. On a recent weekend, it was reported about half a dozen ordered levels had no Admin Note. Admin notes in this situation are especially helpful on the weekend when the PKS team is trying to triage 15-20 vancos each and decide who they should manage first.
- A vancomycin with an indication of 'drain prophylaxis' AND no end date on the order should have a progress note generated daily and a consult/task. If the vanco order does have an end date and that end date is within 48 hrs, no progress note or consult is needed. In addition, for a 'drain prophylaxis' vanco order with no end date, the initial level should be ordered after 48 hrs of therapy as many drains are discontinued within 48 hrs.
Let me know if you see other instances where SOP needs restating or clarification.
Thanks,
Gregg
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Gregg Knowles, PharmD
Huntsville Hospital Pharmacy
256-265-8163
Huntsville Hospital Pharmacy
256-265-8163