Use bandaging wrap to help identify drugs

Most veterinary practices stock numerous open bottles of injectable drugs, making it easy for team members to confuse bottles during a busy day, particularly since most drugs come in similarly sized bottles. So Tina Reaume, LVT, a technician at Ida Veterinary Clinic in Ida, Mich., decided to color-code the open bottles with 1-inch self-adhesive flexible wrap. Reaume wraps a colored piece of wrap around each bottle, using a designated color for each drug type. For example, she uses red wrap for open bottles of atropine, yellow for ketamine, and so on. (Reaume makes sure not to cover the drug name or expiration date.) "This makes it easy for the staff to prepare doses," Reaume says. "It also provides extra grip when handling the bottles and the wrap can be reused a few times."