Unit Dose Packaging
Unit dose packaging is a medication distribution system where each individual dose of a medication is packaged separately in its own labeled container, ready for direct administration to the patient without further measurement or preparation.
Exam Tip
Unit dose = single dose per package, standard in hospitals. Pharmacy technicians repackage bulk meds into unit doses and stock ADCs. Each unit dose must be labeled with drug, strength, lot, and expiration.
What Is Unit Dose Packaging?
Unit dose packaging is the standard medication distribution system used in hospitals and institutional pharmacy settings. Each package contains exactly one dose of medication in a ready-to-administer form, clearly labeled with the drug name, strength, lot number, and expiration date.
Unit Dose vs. Multi-Dose Packaging
| Feature | Unit Dose | Multi-Dose |
|---|---|---|
| Contents | Single dose per package | Multiple doses per container |
| Setting | Hospital/institutional | Retail/community |
| Measurement | Pre-measured, no calculation needed | May require measuring |
| Waste | Minimal (dose-specific) | Potential for waste |
| Error reduction | Highest safety (barcode scannable) | Relies on measuring accuracy |
| Cost per dose | Higher packaging cost | Lower packaging cost |
| Examples | Blister packs, syringes, vials | Bottles of 100/500 tablets |
Types of Unit Dose Packaging
| Type | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Blister pack | Tablet/capsule sealed in individual plastic/foil cavity | Most common for oral solids |
| Unit-of-use | Pre-counted for complete course of therapy | Z-pack (azithromycin) |
| Oral liquid unit dose | Pre-measured liquid in cup or syringe | 10 mL oral suspension |
| Injectable unit dose | Pre-filled syringe or single-use vial | Enoxaparin pre-filled syringe |
| Repackaged unit dose | Pharmacy repackages bulk into unit doses | Robot-packaged strip packs |
Unit Dose in Automated Dispensing Cabinets (ADCs)
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Stocking | Pharmacy fills ADC with unit dose packages |
| Dispensing | Nurse selects patient/drug; drawer opens with unit dose |
| Barcode verification | Unit dose barcode scanned at bedside for verification |
| Inventory tracking | ADC tracks quantities and triggers refill alerts |
| Override access | Emergency doses available before pharmacist review |
Benefits of Unit Dose Systems
- Reduces medication errors (right drug, right dose)
- Enables barcode medication administration (BCMA)
- Decreases nursing time in medication preparation
- Improves inventory control and billing accuracy
- Reduces medication waste and diversion risk
- Meets Joint Commission and state BOP standards
Pharmacy Technician's Role
- Repackaging bulk medications into unit dose form
- Stocking automated dispensing cabinets
- Checking expiration dates during restocking
- Verifying correct medications loaded into correct ADC pockets
- Maintaining repackaging logs with lot numbers and BUDs
Exam Alert
Unit dose systems are tested in the Dispensing Process domain. Know that unit dose = one dose per package, it is the standard in institutional pharmacy, and that pharmacy technicians play a key role in repackaging and ADC management.
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Related Terms
Lot Number
A lot number is a unique identifier assigned by a drug manufacturer to a specific batch of medication produced at the same time and under the same conditions, used for tracking, quality control, and recall purposes.
Beyond-Use Dating (BUD)
Beyond-use dating (BUD) is the date after which a compounded preparation should not be used, determined by the pharmacy based on USP standards and the stability characteristics of the specific formulation.
NDC Number (National Drug Code)
The NDC (National Drug Code) is a unique 10-digit, 3-segment numeric identifier assigned to each medication product in the United States, identifying the labeler, product, and package size.
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