# Presentation: 158183

## How to Enter Allergies and Adverse Reactions 

**An Update for CPRS Version 26**
**James Drozd, R.Ph ADPAC**
**VA Connecticut Healthcare System**
**And **
** ****Peter A. Glassman MBBS, MSc**
**VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System**

**Allergy and Reactant records are displayed and managed in this box on the ‘Cover Sheet.’**
**If a patient reports no history of allergies or reactions, that is also noted here**.

**To record that a patient has no problems with food or drugs, right click within this box**.

**Select: ‘Mark patient as having **
**“****No Known Allergies” (NKA)’ **
**and left click****.**

**Another way to enter a negative allergy assessment (enter/update an allergy for a patient) is to select ‘Enter new allergy’ and left click.**

**And check off ‘No Known Allergies’ under the Search button **
**(note that on earlier version of CPRS this is at the bottom of the SEARCH screen, as shown subsequently)**

**Either route will have the same result.**

**To create a reactant record right click within the ‘Allergies/Adverse Reactions’ box and select ‘Enter new allergy.’**

**This will open a SEARCH dialog or the “Allergy Reactant Lookup” screen**

**Enter 3 to 5 letters and click on SEARCH.**
**Remember, the more letters you type in, the greater the chance you will misspell and obtain no results from your search.**

**In this example, tetracycline from the NDF Generic Drug Name file is selected.  Notice that other files contain possible selections. Other than for food reactants, it is a good idea to avoid selections from the **_**Drug Ingredients File**_**. Users should also avoid making selections from **_**National Drug File – Trade Name**_** Several entries in this file include all inactive ingredients used in the manufacturing of the product. Thus, selecting items from this file could result in triggering useless and confusing order checks. **

**You select a term by left clicking on it. When the term has been selected, click on ‘OK’.**

**When a possible match can not be found this message will display. Please try another spelling. If you are sure your entry is correct, click on ‘Yes’.**

**Please enter any details that will assist in the entry of a request for a new reactant term.**

**Sending off this request does not create an ADR/ADE record! You may be contacted for more information.**

**A sign/symptom dialog screen will now open. **
**A reaction can be recorded as **
**Observed or Historical.  **
**The default type is Historical.**

**If ‘Observed’ is selected,  two additional fields will display on this screen. A date/time field and **
**a severity field. **

**A click on the <?> button will display SEVERITY definitions.**

**Please note that for “Historical” records, the only required field on this screen is ‘Nature of Reaction.’ After the ‘Nature of Reaction’ is selected, clicking on ‘OK’ **
**will make the record active.**

**When a reactant record is entered, it will also be indicated **
**in the ‘Postings’ box**

**When a reactant record is marked as “Observed,”  Signs/**
**Symptoms  are required. Comments are also required at most sites.**

**Signs/Symptoms are recorded by making a selection from the list. More than one can be selected. If appropriate, enter a comment. When finished, click on ‘OK’ and the record will become active.**

**Note: Tetracycline is now listed in the Allergies/Adverse Reactions box.**

**Users should understand that active Allergy/ADR records do not display immediately on the ‘Orders Tab.’  The Postings box indicates that this patient does have an active “allergy”. Clicking on the Postings box will open a display of active Allergy/ADR records, as shown below.**

**Allergies/ADR records can also be created on the ‘Orders Tab.’  Please note: what is listed in the “write orders’ box will vary from site to site.**

**Notice that the user is asked to link this reactant entry to a clinic visit when creating a record on the ‘Orders Tab.’ This is not required when creating a record on the ‘Cover Sheet’**

**The SEARCH screen functionality works the same whether you enter from the ‘Orders tab” or  the ‘Cover Sheet tab.’**

**Once active, the adverse reaction may be found on the ‘Cover Sheet’; clicking on the drug provides further information**

**OBSERVED reactant record entries will also generate a progress note **

**With CPRS v.25, clinicians have the ability to remove erroneous reactant records. This is done by clicking on the record within the ‘Allergies/Adverse Reactions’ box and selecting **
**“****MARK SELECTED ALLERGY AS ENTERED IN ERROR”**

**Click on**
** “****ENTERED IN ERROR”**

**Most sites allow users to enter a reason why the entered allergy/ADR is not correct (shown on next slide). **
**This is not a required field but is helpful for others involved in providing care to patient.**
**Click on “OK”**

** ****Note the comment that was entered.**
**Then click on “YES”**

** **TITLE: Adverse React/Allergy
- DATE OF NOTE: JUN 30, 2006@12:27:20  ENTRY DATE: JUN 30, 2006@12:27:22
-       AUTHOR: DOCTOR-V,CPRS        EXP COSIGNER:
-      URGENCY:                            STATUS: COMPLETED
- This patient has had an adverse reaction reported for TETRACYCLINE
- entered in error on Jun 30, 2006@12:27:20.
- Author's comments:
- patient now recalls he was not taking tetracycline when he
- got the sunburn
- /es/ CPRS DOCTOR-V
- Signed: 06/30/2006 12:30

**Marking a reactant record as “ENTERED IN ERROR” generates a note in the clinical record.  This is done for both “HISTORICAL” and “OBSERVED” reactions. **

**Please note: when an erroneous reactant record is removed, the status does not change to “No Known Allergies.” The revised area resets as “No Allergy Assessment.” **

## Questions/Comments

**Thanks for viewing the presentation. We trust that the slides will be a helpful to you as well as others in the field. **
**If you have any questions/comments, please e-mail them to: **
**James Drozd, R.Ph ADPAC**
**VA Connecticut Healthcare System**
**James.Drozd@va.gov**