A recent pharmacy audit of the anesthesia department led to a change in pyxis inventory. “We thought going through the anesthesia cart drawers would help us understand how to stock the new pyxis to meet department needs,” stated head pharmacist Kent Amine, Pharm. D.
What the pharmacy didn’t expect to find was that the department was using more dark chocolate than rocuronium. “When we found this out we quickly gave up the pyxis cubby for rocuronium and stocked with it dark chocolate bars. After further review, we also realized the anesthesia department had other needs we had failed to recognize. So, we dedicated one whole pyxis drawer to phone chargers. Another drawer was dedicated to phone batteries for when outlet access is limited.”
“When it came down to it, we realized the only drug we really needed to stock was propofol. Because let’s be honest, that’s all the anesthesia department ever really gives anyway. This narrowing of drug inventory has left the needed room for neck pillows, nail polish, sudoku puzzles, and even a magazine rack.”
“At first we thought we should at least have access to succinylcholine and not just propofol,” nurse anesthetist Ivy Sandation said, “But then we realized it would have to go in the granola bar cubby and that just wasn’t worth the trade off.”
