02/10/04

Medication Oversight- Why I include medication reviews in my assessments

An important aspect of assessing current physical and mental capacities, is recording medications that a client is on. This includes prescribed, over-the-counter, and other supplements including any herbal preparations. Elderly individuals on multiple medications for various health conditions, frequently can not tell you the names of their medications, how the medication works, or why they take it. Upon closer monitoring, you frequently find that they're not taking their pills at the times they're supposed to take them, or in the correct way, or, taking them at all!

Many Seniors continue to consume alcoholic beverages, as they had when they were younger and working. Alcohol and medications do not mix! That's why the pharmacy puts that little sticker on the side of the bottle! It's a warning, but, if you don't read it, can't read it, or think it's not important, there could be big problems.

This is how medication errors occur, and could arguably be considered as dangerous, if not more so in many cases as falling and breaking a bone. In fact, medication errors of this type could be the reason a fall has occurred. Yet all too frequently, medications are not monitored as closely as they should be.

Information garnered from an assessment, along with observation of subjective and objective client information, helps to identify the possibility of medication-related problems. If this information is properly exchanged with responsible parties and the client's physicians, unnecessary medical problems can sometimes be avoided.

Through assessment of my clients we've prevented medication errors such as:

1. not taking medications as ordered (not at the right time, or correct dose)

2. continuing to take medications that the Dr. has discontinued as well as a new medication prescribed to treat the same condition

3. medications which are supposed to be used on a "short term basis only" being taken for years

4. not having blood levels drawn of medications (examples-lanoxin, coumadin, and dilantin) as is necessary to maintain a therapeutic level to achieve wanted result

5. not checking pulses and/or respirations before taking medication

6. not checking blood glucose levels (at all, or incorrectly), before taking medication

7. taking prescribed medications that interact negatively when used with certain other prescribed medications (which were prescribed by more than one Dr.)

To find out more about medication errors and ways to prevent them, click on the link below.

United States Pharmacopeia (USP) News Release