Purpose Statement

This article explains how to create a Med Kit and configure its pouches within the Medications module. Administrators can define kit information, controlled substance security requirements, count settings, pouch organization, Medication Forms, and optional Par and Min inventory values.

Proper pouch configuration allows medication inventory to be organized and tracked according to its physical location within the Med Kit, providing personnel with more accurate information during medication events and supporting pouch-level inventory reporting.

Background Information

Med Kits are used to organize and manage medications stored in apparatus, ambulances, stations, and other operational locations. Each Med Kit requires a Kit Name and a unique Kit ID and may include additional information such as the manufacturer, model, location, service status, and controlled substance settings.

When a Med Kit is created, the system automatically adds a Main Pouch. The Main Pouch is identified as the Default location and receives medications that have not been configured for another pouch. The Main Pouch can be renamed but cannot be deleted, moved, or replaced as the Default location.

Administrators can create additional pouches to represent the physical organization of the Med Kit. Medication Forms can then be assigned to the appropriate pouch so personnel can distinguish where medication inventory is stored during usages, counts, transfers, and other medication events.

The same Medication Form may be configured in multiple pouches when the medication is physically stocked in more than one location within the Med Kit. Inventory is maintained at the pouch level rather than combining matching Medication Forms into a single Med Kit quantity.

Administrators may optionally configure Par and Min quantities for Medication Forms within each pouch. These values establish stocking expectations and provide visual inventory status information to personnel viewing the Med Kit.

Pouch-level configuration also supports more detailed medication event reporting by allowing agency administrators to identify medication activity according to the pouch where the inventory was stored.

The Location field displays apparatus compartments, kit pouches, and storage locations configured in the Assets module. This field is a location reference only and does not synchronize inventory between the Assets and Medications modules.

Required Permissions

Users need the following permissions for the Medication Kit List:

• Read
• Update
• Create
• Delete

The following permission is optional:

• Archive Med Kits — Required only for users who need to archive Med Kits.

Video

Medications Par Management

Par management introduces pouch-level medication inventory management within Med Kits. Administrators can define which Medication Forms are stocked in each pouch and may optionally establish a Par level and Min quantity for each configured Medication Form. Because Medication Forms can be configured in multiple pouches, agencies can establish stocking expectations that reflect where medication is physically stored instead of managing all matching inventory as one combined Med Kit quantity.

Par represents the configured stocking level for the Medication Form within that pouch. Min represents the minimum quantity the agency expects to maintain. Neither value is required.

When Par and Min values are configured, medication cards use color-coding to show how the available quantity compares with those values:

• Red – Restock Needed: Available quantity is at or below the configured Min.
• Yellow – Monitor: Available quantity is above Min but at or below Par.
• Yellow – Monitor when Min is not configured: Available quantity is at or below Par.
• Light Gray – Well Stocked: Available quantity is above Par.
• Light Gray – No thresholds configured: The card also appears light gray when neither Par nor Min is configured.

When a medication reaches its configured Min, the medication card displays the red Restock Needed indicator. Agencies may also configure a Critical Low Stock notification that can generate an email when medication inventory drops below its configured Min and the low-stock condition is not corrected as part of the applicable medication workflow.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Open the Med Kit List

• Select the First Due logo in the upper-left corner.
• Open the Medications module.
• Select Med Kit List.
• Select New Med Kit.

The New Med Kit window opens on the General Info tab.

2. Enter the Kit Name and Kit ID

Complete the two required fields:

• Kit Name — Identifies the type or purpose of the Med Kit. Multiple Med Kits can use the same Kit Name, allowing agencies to apply a consistent naming convention to similar kits.
• Kit ID — Uniquely identifies the individual Med Kit. Each Kit ID must be different.

For example, several kits may use the Kit Name Engine ALS Bag, while the Kit ID identifies the apparatus or unit assigned to each physical kit.

3. Complete the Optional Kit Information

Enter any applicable optional information to further configure med kit:

Manufacturer/Model

The Manufacturer and Model fields may be used to support inventory, purchasing, and replacement tracking.

Location

Use Location to associate the Med Kit with an apparatus compartment, kit pouch, or storage location from the Assets module. 

In Service Date

Input the desired In Service Date to further support inventory, purchasing, and replacement tracking.

4. Configure the Kit's Service Status

Use the In Service toggle to identify whether the Med Kit is currently available for use.

If applicable, enter the In Service Date. The date may be backdated when adding existing kits to the system.

If your agency requires Out of Service Reasons in Medication Setup, disabling In Service displays additional fields requiring an out-of-service reason and comments. These fields do not appear when that setting is not enabled.

5. Configure Controlled Substance Security

By default, the Kit Type is displayed as Non Controlled.

If the Med Kit contains controlled substances:

• Enable Controlled Substances Kit.
• Select a security method:
  • Use Lock
  • Use Seals
• If Use Seals is selected, enter the # Of Seals used to secure the kit.

Non Controlled Substance Kit

Controlled Substance Kit with Seals

Controlled Substance Kit with Locks

6. Configure the Count Requirement

Enable Require Count? when the Med Kit must be counted following a med kit action, regardless of whether it is a controlled substance kit.

7. Open the Pouches Tab

Select the Pouches tab.

A Main Pouch is automatically displayed as the Default location. This pouch:

• Serves as the default destination for medications.
• Cannot be deleted.
• Can be renamed.
• Can contain configured Medication Forms and minimum quantities.
• Can be expanded or collapsed to provide additional workspace.

8. Rename the Main Pouch (Optional)

To customize the Main Pouch name:

• Select the Edit pencil in the Main Pouch header.
• Enter the new pouch name.
• Select an area outside the text field to save the name.

Renaming the Main Pouch does not change its function as the Med Kit's Default location.

9. Add Additional Pouches (Optional)

To create another pouch:

• Select + Pouch.
• Select the Edit pencil for the new pouch.
• Enter the pouch name.
• Select outside the text field to save it.

Repeat these steps for each additional pouch.

Only manually added pouches display a delete option. The Main Pouch cannot be deleted.

Additional pouches can be created and named without assigning Medication Forms. During receiving or transfer workflows, personnel can then choose the pouch where the medication should be placed.

10. Expand or Collapse Pouches

Select the arrow on the right side of a pouch header to expand or collapse its contents.

Collapsing completed pouches provides more screen space when configuring multiple pouches.

11. Add Medication Forms to a Pouch

To define the Medication Forms expected within a pouch:

• Expand the desired pouch.
• Select + Medication.
• Select a Medication Form from the drop-down.
• Configure a Par value, if applicable.
• Configure a Min value, if applicable.
• Repeat for each Medication Form stocked within the pouch.

The Medication Form list is populated from the forms configured in Medication Setup.

Medication Forms may be configured in more than one pouch when the same form is physically stocked in multiple locations within the Med Kit. The system maintains the inventory according to the pouch where it is stored rather than combining those quantities into one Med Kit-level quantity.

12. Set Medication Par and Min Values

After selecting a Medication Form, optionally configure its Par and Min quantities.

Par represents the configured stocking level for the Medication Form within that pouch.

Min represents the minimum quantity the agency expects to maintain.

For example, if the pouch is normally stocked with two units of a medication but the agency considers one unit the minimum acceptable quantity, configure:

• Par: 2
• Min: 1

At the normal stocked quantity of two, the medication card displays yellow because inventory is at Par and above Min. If one unit remains, the medication card displays red and identifies that the medication requires restocking because available inventory is at Min.

Par and Min are optional. If neither value is configured, the medication remains available for pouch-level tracking without Par- or Min-based inventory thresholds.

13. Reorder Pouches and Medication Forms (Optional)

To reorder pouches or Medication Forms:

• Select Reorder.
• Drag and drop custom pouches into the desired order.
• Drag and drop Medication Forms within a pouch to arrange them in the preferred sequence.
• Review the layout from the end user's perspective.
• Select Reorder again to lock in the configuration.

The pouch identified as the Default location remains locked in place and cannot be moved. Only custom pouches can be reordered.

Medication Forms can be arranged so they appear in the preferred left-to-right, top-to-bottom order when personnel view the Med Kit.

3 or more Pouches

2 Pouches or less

14. Reassign Medication Forms to Another Pouch (Optional)

Medication Forms can be reassigned between pouches during Med Kit creation or while editing an existing Med Kit. This allows administrators to reorganize one or multiple Medication Forms without recreating the configuration.

To reassign Medication Forms:

• Expand the pouch containing the Medication Form(s).
• Select the checkbox next to one or more Medication Forms.
• Select Move to Pouch.
• Choose the destination pouch.
• Select Save.

The selected Medication Forms are reassigned to the new pouch.

14. Save the Med Kit

After completing the General Info and Pouches configuration:

• Review the kit information and settings.
• Verify pouch names and organization.
• Verify Medication Form assignments.
• Review configured Par and Min values.
• Select Save.

The Med Kit and its pouch configuration are then available for applicable medication inventory workflows.

Best Practices

• Apply consistent Kit Name conventions across similar Med Kits.
• Use the Kit ID to clearly identify the individual apparatus, station, unit, or physical kit.
• Keep the Location current when a Med Kit is reassigned.
• Confirm that controlled substance security settings match the kit's physical lock or seal process.
• Configure the correct number of seals to avoid unnecessary seal-entry requirements.
• Ensure the appropriate Count Scheduler is configured when scheduled counts are required.
• Name pouches according to the Med Kit's physical organization and the way personnel access medications operationally.
• Configure Medication Forms within the pouch where they are physically stored.
• Configure the same Medication Form in multiple pouches when inventory is physically stocked in multiple locations rather than treating it as one combined quantity.
• Use Par to represent the agency's expected stocking level and Min to represent the quantity at which inventory requires attention.
• Consider using different Par and Min values to provide personnel with a useful monitoring range before inventory reaches the Restock Needed condition.
• Leave Par and Min blank when the agency does not need inventory thresholds for a particular Medication Form.
• Review pouch, Medication Form, Par, and Min configurations whenever operational stocking practices change.
• Organize pouch and Medication Form order to match how personnel physically access medications during emergency response.
• Configure pouch assignments accurately to support reliable pouch-level medication event reporting.

Troubleshooting & FAQs

Why can't I save the Med Kit?

Verify that both Kit Name and Kit ID are complete. The Kit ID must be unique.

Can multiple Med Kits use the same Kit Name?

Yes. Multiple Med Kits can use the same Kit Name. Each individual Med Kit must have its own unique Kit ID.

Why don't I see fields for an Out of Service Reason?

Those fields appear only when your agency has configured the applicable Out of Service Reason requirement in Medication Setup.

What is the difference between Use Lock and Use Seals?

Use Lock does not track individual seal numbers during medication workflows. Use Seals requires personnel to document applicable seal numbers, and breaking a seal to perform an action requires the associated count to be completed.

Does Require Count apply only to controlled substance kits?

No. Enabling Require Count? requires a count regardless of whether the Med Kit is controlled or non-controlled.

Why is the Main Pouch already displayed?

The system automatically creates the Main Pouch as the Med Kit's Default location.

Can I delete or move the Main Pouch?

No. The Main Pouch cannot be deleted and remains fixed as the Med Kit's Default location. It may be renamed to match your agency's pouch naming convention.

Can the same Medication Form be configured in more than one pouch?

Yes. The same Medication Form can be configured in multiple pouches when it is physically stocked in more than one location within the Med Kit. Inventory is then tracked according to the applicable pouch.

Do I have to configure Par and Min for every Medication Form?

No. Both values are optional. Agencies can configure either or both values according to their inventory-management requirements.

What is the difference between Par and Min?

Par represents the configured stocking level for a Medication Form within a pouch. Min represents the minimum quantity the agency expects to maintain. The system uses these values to determine the medication card's inventory status.

Why is a medication card red when the available quantity equals Min?

The Restock Needed condition applies when the available quantity is at or below Min. For example, if Min is 1 and one unit remains, the medication card displays red.

What happens if Par and Min are set to the same value?

When available inventory equals that value, the medication meets the at or below Min condition and displays red as Restock Needed. Consider configuring different Par and Min values if your agency wants a monitoring range between normal stocking and the minimum quantity.

What happens if I do not configure Par or Min?

The Medication Form can still be configured and tracked within the pouch. Without Par or Min thresholds, the medication card does not use those values to indicate an inventory threshold and displays light gray.

What happens if I do not configure Medication Forms for the pouches?

Medications can still be received or transferred into the Med Kit. Medications without another configured pouch destination default to the Main Pouch (Default location).

Does reaching Min prevent a user from completing a medication workflow?

No. The red Restock Needed indicator identifies that inventory requires attention but does not prevent the medication workflow from being completed.

Why is the Reorder button disabled?

The Reorder button becomes available when the Med Kit contains three or more pouches.

Why can't I reorder my Medication Forms?

Medication Forms can only be reordered while the Reorder feature is enabled. The feature becomes available when the Med Kit contains three or more pouches.

Does selecting an Assets location move or synchronize medication inventory?

No. The Location field is a reference only. Inventory remains independently managed within the Medications and Assets modules.