Final answer:
Prescribers may need to place orders for drugs in the night cabinet based on healthcare facility rules and patient needs, especially for emergencies when the main pharmacy is closed. The trend towards electronic prescriptions improves management of these medications. Directly observed therapy is an alternative in specific cases, but has practical and cost considerations.
Step-by-step explanation:
Whether prescribers need to place orders for drugs in the night cabinet depends on the specific protocols and regulations of the healthcare facility in question. Night cabinets, sometimes referred to as overnight drug cabinets in healthcare settings, serve as a secured location for storing medications that may be needed urgently when the main pharmacy is closed. The usage of night cabinets is meant to ensure that essential medications are accessible at all times, including after-hours, to address immediate patient needs.
Traditionally, prescribers would need to write orders for medications to be placed in these cabinets, but the rise of electronic prescriptions, as discussed in Gawande's publication, indicates a movement towards digital management of such orders. This can enhance the tracking and dispensing of controlled substances like opioids and potentially reduce errors associated with manual recordkeeping. However, whether prescribers must use night cabinets depends on a combination of hospital policy, local regulations, and the urgency of the medication required.
Directly observed therapy (DOT) represents an alternative approach where medication administration is strictly supervised. Although effective for certain treatments like tuberculosis (TB), it has practicality and cost considerations for broader use, particularly for common antibiotics such as penicillin.