When you open a multi-dose vial, what should you label the vial with?

• A. The BUD or date opened
• B. The patient’s name
• C. The expiration date only
• D. The room temperature

Answer: (B)

Opening a multi-dose vial introduces a contamination risk, so you need to document when it was opened to establish its safe usage window. Labeling with the date opened (often including the time and the person who opened it) sets the beyond-use date (BUD) and helps ensure the vial is used within its sterile period. Merely putting the expiration date doesn't reflect what happened after opening, and the room temperature label is not relevant to tracking safety. Using a patient’s name on a multi-dose vial isn’t appropriate because the vial may be used for more than one patient. So the correct practice is to label the vial with the date opened (and the associated initials/time) to define the BUD.