How to Use Pharmacy Weighing Scales

Computerized pharmacy weighing scales are accurate and precise for weighing, taring and compounding medicine.

Electronic scales were first introduced in the late 1940s to the pharmaceutical world. Today, computerized pharmacy weighing scales are accurate and precise for weighing, taring and compounding medicine. Strain gauges are compressed, converting weight into electronic signals. Pill counting is fast without any cross-contamination. Cleaning is now minimized with electronic counting and taring. Displays are also large and easy to read. Compounding medicine can be accurately done with these modern scales, and the recipes are easy to print. Pharmacies today work more efficiently providing customers with safer drugs using electronic weighing scales.

Things You'll Need

• Electronic pharmacy scale

Instructions

Normal Weighing

1. Press the power button to begin weighing. This will turn the electronic pharmacy scale on. It should go through an initialization procedure and proceed to weighing mode. The scale is ready when a "0" appears on the display.

2. Place the item in the middle of the pan for an accurate measurement. Once a number is displayed, it is the correct weighed measurement.

3. Remove item when weighing is complete. Press the power button to turn the scale off.

Taring

1. Place a container in the middle of the pharmacy weighing scale for taring, which means the scale obtains the net weight by deducting the weight of the container from the gross weight. Taring is done when measuring out a large amount of pills. The scale will display the correct weight.

2. Press the "T" button for taring. This display will become a dotted line conveying it is ready to start taring. Manually add 10 pills into your container as your sample weight and press the "T" button to accept the weight.

3. Add the remainder of the pills or other medicine until you have the correct tared weight you need for the prescription. To clear the taring mode, press "T" again. Dotted lines will appear on the display again, and then it will go back to zeros for the weighing mode.

Compounding

1. Place a container in the middle of the pan for your recipe. Press the "T" button for taring.

2. Place the first ingredient into the container, and the scale will automatically start summing the items. You will see the word "Sum" appear on the display.

3. Wait for the "0" to appear and press the "T" button before adding the next ingredient. The weight will be stored and you will continue to press "T" after each ingredient is added.

4. Check the total weight of the ingredients at any time by pressing the "Sum" button. The total weight will appear for five seconds; wait for it to disappear before continuing to add more ingredients.

5. Press the "P" button to print out the recipe before pressing the "Sum" button twice for a completed compounding. Once you press the "Sum" button twice, you cannot print.

Pill Counting

1. Press the "F" button to start pill counting mode. "Count" and "Pcs" will appear when the scale is ready.

2. Place container onto the middle of the pan. Press "T" to start taring. Put 10 pills as your sample measurement. Press "T" again to confirm and accept the weight.

3. Starting adding more pills after "Fill" appears on the display. The number of pills will appear on the scale as you are adding more. Stop when you have the desired amount. You may press the "P" button if you need to print out a pill counting receipt.

4. Remove the pills and container when you are done. Press "C" when you are finished with the pill counting mode. Now the scale will be reset.

Tips & Warnings

• Read the manual of your particular brand of pharmacy weighing scale for accurate instructions.

References

• Fulcrum Inc. DRX-4C2: Instruction Manual
• Fulcrum Inc. DRX-4C2: Quick Reference