There are some things in life you appreciate because they are hard to complete. Although you may not feel that way at the time, when you look back, earning a degree, a work achievement, or running a marathon are more rewarding because of the challenges they posed. But when it comes to tasks, simpler is better. For veterinary practices, that’s one of the benefits of stock labels. Built for specific veterinary practice applications, they are easy to order, cost-effective and readily available, so you can spend your time where it counts.
Improving Medication Accuracy and Safety
Medication administration remains an area that is prone to errors which veterinary stock labels can help prevent.
In a presentation titled, “Error Prevention: How to Play Your Part”, Dr. Lauren Forsythe, a clinical assistant professor of pharmacy and the pharmacy service head at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital said, “Medication errors tend to occur when labeling is unclear, devices are designed poorly, medication is stored improperly, or error-prone abbreviations are used.”
Drug Syringes and Tapes
Drug syringes and tapes aid medication dispensing and administration and impact medication errors. For example, they:
- Reduce confusion by clearly indicating the drug type and preventing errors resulting from illegible handwriting
- Allow the medical staff to record key data points, such as drug name, strength, and more, which aids in proper dispensing
- Minimize misidentifications that occur from look-alike sound-alike medications
Medication Storage and Organization
Proper medication storage incorporates a number of factors starting with a secure and easily accessible area that’s well-organized. That organization should include a system you use consistently such as alphabetically or numerically by drug name. In addition,
- Label shelves with unique drug categories to ensure the staff knows where to place each item.
- Store controlled substances in a separate secured area.
- Clearly label expiration or beyond use dates (BUDS) on each drug.
- Make regular inventory checks to ensure accuracy and identify any missing or expired medications.
- Control temperature and humidity. Store medications at the recommended temperature, commonly room temperature, although some may require freezing or refrigeration. Also, keep humidity low, in the 30% to 50% range.
Supporting the Veterinary Staff
Measure twice, cut once. In the carpentry trade, it means one should double-check one's measurements for accuracy before cutting a piece of wood. Otherwise, it may be necessary to get another piece and cut again, wasting time and materials.
Stock veterinary labels are the veterinary practice equivalent to measure twice, cut once. Although communication is challenging in any organization, it’s especially difficult with the variables typical in veterinary medicine. Clear communication reduces medical errors and increases the efficiency of the team. They communicate crucial information that guides care requirements to all staff members and reduce unnecessary repetitive steps. For example,
- Medication instruction labels can help clarify dosage guidelines.
- Fill line labels applied to a vial or syringe avoid the need to clarify the dosage and increase medication dispensing accuracy.
- A checklist, such as an examination record, details the necessary steps to follow, highlights missing or incomplete information, and minimizes incorrect interpretations.
- For surgery, treatments and other overnight stays, communication labels placed on cages and medical records detail each patient’s specific needs and care requirements.
Cost and Time Efficiency
Why are stock labels an effective option? They are pre-designed in standardized formats which results in several key benefits:
Cost-Effective
Custom labels are produced in small quantities and built for a specific need. But for applications that are similar across many veterinary practices, like labels for a DYMO or Zebra printer for labeling medications, items are built in large quantities and put in stock. This drives down the unit cost of each label, reducing your overall spend.
Save Time with Pre-Designed Formats
Veterinary stock labels have already been measured twice and cut once! There’s no need to spend time on design or approval processes. They’ve been tried, tested and perfected!
Reduction in Production Lead Times
Because custom labels require design, proofing and manufacturing, the lead time from order to delivery is typically longer. But, stock labels are kept in inventory which reduces the wait time between ordering and application.
Choosing the Right Stock Labels
The versatility of stock labels means that they work effectively in a wide range of veterinary settings which include items for:
- Printers
- Office Functions
- Treatment Rooms
- Medications
- Laboratory
- Board & Care
Because these are common functions across veterinary practices, there are numerous stock label options to choose from.
The next step is to determine your specific need. Perhaps it’s a label for a drug like Morphine. For example, searching for Morphine on the UAL website returns 16 potential options. These items differ based on drug strength and contain other fields that conform to compliance requirements from organizations like the AAHA and state and local agencies. These include:
- Drug strength
- Date
- Time
- Initials
- Preparation date
- Expiration date
Finally, based on your practice protocols, you can identify the item that meets your specific need.
You can follow these same basic steps to determine the best-fit option for other areas of your practice.
Partnering with United Ad Label
At United Ad Label, we understand the unique needs of veterinary practices. Our stock labels are designed with those needs in mind, offering high-quality, pre-printed labels that enhance organization, improve medication safety, and streamline operations. Whether you're looking for labels to track medications, manage inventory, or ensure regulatory compliance, our labels are tailored to help you run a more efficient practice. Contact us to learn more.