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IDEAS THAT WORK
SMART STORAGE
Highlight Soon-to-Expire Supplies
W
hen one of our pricier supplies expired on a shelf, we
knew there had to be a better way to manage par levels.
Ideally, staff select items with the earliest expiration
dates when they pull supplies for cases, but that doesn't always happen. It's easy to rotate stock, to place newer items at the front of
shelves, but boxes inevitably get shuffled and moved. We also know
that staff are often in a hurry when pulling supplies and might not
take the time to focus on expiration dates.
To draw staff's attention to supplies with earlier expiration dates,
we affix brightly colored labels or dots that note which items to "Use
First!" or warn which are
PAR SAVE Draw staff's attention to items that
should be pulled first for cases.
Charlene Anderson, RN, BSN, LNC
"Soon to Expire." These eyecatching notes make it easy
for staff to identify the right
supply to grab and help prevent us from eating the
costs of expired items we
can't return or exchange.
Charlene Anderson, RN, BSN, LNC
Trinity Mother Francis Health System
Tyler, Texas
andersc1@tmfhs.org
N O V E M B E R 2012 | O U T PAT I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E
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