Appeal No. 2006-0813
Reexamination Control No. 90/006,235
17. A portable nursing center comprising:
a) a housing having a base and a plurality of wheels attached to
the base;
b) a plurality of drawers carried by the housing, each of said
drawers being movable between a given position and a closed
position at least some drawers sized and configured for holding
pharmaceutical items which have been prescribed for a
specific patient;
c) at least one removable partition positioned between adjacent
drawers, wherein the at least one removable partition is sized
and positioned to permit one larger drawer to be substituted for
at least two smaller drawers when the removable partition is
removed
d) a control unit for locking at least some of said drawers to
prevent access thereto, said control unit including data entry
means for entry of predetermined access data and other data,
lock means for locking and unlocking at least some of said
drawers and a processing unit with an associated memory for
unlocking at least one drawer in response to entry of access
data and recording at least a portion of the access data; and
e) a transmitter connected to the control unit for transmitting
selected access data and other data from the portable nursing
center to a remote receiver, the nursing center being sized and
constructed so that when filled with pharmaceuticals and other
nursing items, the nursing center can be moved through a
nursing area by a single nurse.
McLaughlin
McLaughlin teaches a medication dispensing cart for controlled distribution of
medications in a hospital or nursing environment. The station includes drawers controlled
by a computer and a keyboard for data entry. Entry of an access code unlocks the
appropriate drawer for access to a patient’s medication. The keyboard is not described as
being removable. After the medication is removed the drawer is closed and locked and the
computer generates a record of the administration of the medication. The record may be
transmitted to a central computer for retention.
Claims 1-16
4
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