Barcode scanning helps ensure medication accuracy by verifying that the correct medication is being administered to the correct resident at the correct time. The steps below will walk through how to complete a med pass using barcode scanning.
Step 1:
Navigate to the resident's med pass in eMAR.
Step 2:
Use your scanner to scan the barcode printed on the medication packaging.
A successful scan will:
Identify the medication
Match it to an active order in eMAR
Display a successful scan pop-up at the bottom of the page
Show a green checkmark on the associated medication tile
If the scan is incorrect:
You will receive an error message to prevent a potential medication error
Tip: If scanning issues occur, verify the five medication rights:
Right Resident • Right Medication • Right Dose • Right Route • Right Time
If everything is correct and still not matching, you may need to associate a new barcode with the appropriate order. Instructions for doing so can be found here.
Step 3:
Confirm that the medication details on screen match what you are administering.
If the medication requires additional documentation, a pop-up will appear. Examples include:
Selecting Routine vs. PRN when multiple order types exist
Entering a reason given or effectiveness for PRN medications
Documenting conditional parameters (e.g., blood sugar, pain scale, vital signs) when required
Documenting required documentation (e.g., patch location, injection site, etc) when required
This ensures accurate documentation and safe medication administration.
This is an example of a medication with both a Routine and PRN order. After scanning, staff will be prompted to select which order they are administering.
Scan Log
You can open the Scan Log at any time during the med pass to review:
Medications successfully administered via barcode scan
Any scan errors that occurred
This provides real-time visibility into the accuracy of your scanning workflow during that specific medication pass.
Note: The Scan Log is only tied to the current resident’s med pass. Once you leave that med pass, the Scan Log will refresh and no longer display previous scans.
