Do you actually memorize all pts meds?

[Nuieve]

The nurses I work with seem to remember each drug a patient has. They just pull them out of carts, pick the ones pt needs at this time (including vitamins) and then verify/chart them in MAR book. They just know what every patient takes. At this time (having worked for about 10 days now) it seems impossible to me.

Do you also remember all your pts meds? How long did it take you to memorize them (assuming most of your pts stay for a while in your LTC)?

[FLArn]

You do begin to remember what meds your long term patients are getting simply by repetition. However it is very poor practice to try to pour meds from memory as new orders are not always communicated in report, meds ordered for specific periods of time by not be ended at the proper time (ABT's for example) and other circumstances. ALWAYS check your MAR's.

[Nascar nurse, ASN, RN]

I agree very strongly with the above post! You probably will memorize the meds but do not ever go by memory - this will only lead to serious mistakes.

[apocatastasis]

I'm still a pretty new RN (7 months) and I'll third the above. Don't care even if I "know" a patient's meds or I "know" a med is Q8 and a dose is due, I still check against the MAR when I pull it. Even though I have to scan them anyway. The risk for errors is too great.

Bring the MAR with you or pull it up on the computer and check off the meds as you pull them... and then check them again before you leave. You'll make sure you have all the meds you need, and this method takes less time than the incident report you'll be writing when what you "know" turns out to be wrong.

[caliotter3]

Given that I could never know what had been left out of report, such as a new med or a change in meds, I never relied on memory to administer meds or start drawing them from the drawers. I always go against the MAR, no matter how familiar I am with the meds to be given.

[StNeotser, ASN, RN]

Yes it probably does happen in LTC.

I work on a rehab floor so wouldn't even try to do this. Yes, sometimes the patient still has the same meds as last week, but if you try to do it from memory v. checking against the MAR you can give a med that was d/cd and someone forgot to take out of the cart, or you may not give a new med that was ordered that day.

I know in LTC there are some patients who have been on the same meds for months without change, and even though you might get to memorize what each patient gets, always check the MAR.

[IowaLPN]

I've only been a nurse for a few months and I work in LTC. The nurse I trained with has been a nurse for 30 years, many of those years on the same floor. She was able to just pull out the punch packs and pass the meds with no problem. Being overwhelmed my first few weeks with a 30+ resident med pass, I tried to do the same thing thinking I could save time. All it got me was 2 med errors in my first 2 months of work. Now I ALWAYS check against the MAR and if I'm thinking I've got it memorized, I check again anyway! Maybe when I've worked there 30 years myself, I MIGHT consider just doing it by memory! LOL Seriously though, take the time to do it. YOu won't regret it! :)

[kcochrane]

I've seen that too, but I also seen them make errors because of meds that were d/c'd or changed. When I worked in long term care after awhile I did know what each patient took. I would pull them out of the drawers from memory, but I would then compare them to the MAR.

I agree with everyone else, take the time to check the MAR and check each page carefully for changes. The feeling you get when you realize you made a mistake is not worth the extra time saved.

[DaniLPN2RN]

Each morning before med pass I check my MARs for any changes in meds. I do the same with the TARs. I frequently do not get an adequate report so I check things myself. If there are not any changes, I do often pull from memory, but I have the MAR open to confirm what I'm pulling. I have residents who have been in our facility 10+ years with little med changes; other residents have new meds every time I work. While, it does seem to save time to pull from memory; you should ALWAYS check the MAR to confirm med changes. One med error in the elderly population could be a tragic mistake.

Since you have only been on the job for 10 days ... give yourself some time. I think in LTC it takes a good 3-6 months to really become comfortable with all tasks required each shift. LTC is not the easy peasy job many nurses think it is ... I know nurses who rocked the acute care world who couldn't make it in LTC. Keep your head up and focus on doing the best job you can without mistakes regardless of what the other nurses do!!

[stelarRN]

i remember the familiar patients.. ones i've had for a month at least. i float between stations so it really does help me to remember a lot of the patient's meds. but i always double check before i give :)

[kcochrane]

I've only been a nurse for a few months and I work in LTC. The nurse I trained with has been a nurse for 30 years, many of those years on the same floor. She was able to just pull out the punch packs and pass the meds with no problem. Being overwhelmed my first few weeks with a 30+ resident med pass, I tried to do the same thing thinking I could save time. All it got me was 2 med errors in my first 2 months of work. Now I ALWAYS check against the MAR and if I'm thinking I've got it memorized, I check again anyway! Maybe when I've worked there 30 years myself, I MIGHT consider just doing it by memory! LOL Seriously though, take the time to do it. YOu won't regret it! :)

Believe me...the ones with 30 years make errors that way also. I've seen it. So don't ever do it by memory, unless you check the MAR after pulling. You have set yourself up with a good habit of checking. :)

[Finallydidit]

After 5 months, For the most part, I pull from memory, pop from Mar... No med errors so far..