By ANNE-MARIE EMERSON A new machine is set to make medicine dispensing at Wanganui Hospital safer and more efficient. The hospital is leasing four Pyxis MedStations, which will help with drug dispensing in three wards. The first machine will go into service at Te Awhina acute mental health ward next week, and25 of the ward's staff were trained in its use yesterday. Pharmacy team leader Rosemary Godderidge described Pyxis as an "electronic cabinet which supplies an imprest, or pantry, of drugs". Pyxis holds up to 360 different medicines in drawers that can only be accessed via staff log-in and password or fingerprint, making it very secure. Patients' details can also be entered into Pyxis, which reduces the risk of human error in drug dispensing. Te Awhina clinical team leader Liz McDade said she was initially "not keen" on Pyxis but changed her mind when she saw how the machines worked at the Taranaki hospital. "It's so easy to operate," she said. "As a manager, I'm looking forward to my staff having more time to spend with clients." Te Awhina nurse Pauline Humn-Johnson used Pyxis as a trainee nurse in Taranaki, and she is thrilled to have the machines in Wanganui. "At the moment we have to fax our prescriptions to the pharmacy, and it takes time. "But with Pyxis the medications are just there when you need them."
