Before You Take An Elderly Family Member To The ER

Hoozdo, ADN · May 22, 2013

I think this is a great idea but I have to ask if others have done this also? i did this with entire med hx and all medications he was taking, always up to date, for my relative that I brought to hospital on weekly basis and was often admitted, yet every doctor that came to see him had to ask thorough history when I had brought MULTIPLE copies and would hand the sheet to anyone who walked in. They never read it and continued to ask the questions.

I have all of my hx and meds on one sheet and have never had anyone refuse it. If they constantly ask questions, say "see the sheet." I also have made a sheet for each family member and it always comes in handy for those unexpected ER visits!

If you take many meds, no nurse will refuse the sheet. It's much easier to copy a medically accurate sheet than to ask a pt about all the meds. Yes, they will verbally confirm each med - but that is a needed confirmation.

Put your hx in chronological order. I also have all of my doctors listed.

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · May 22, 2013

This really is a great idea! Going to doctors as often as I do, I keep a current med list in my wallet which also includes allergies. It doesn't list diagnoses though, and it might be smart to list those on the back. I mean, I'd like people to know I have asthma and diabetes if I'm ever brought to a hospital unconscious.

It's a good thing to keep close at hand, as the list of my meds seems to get longer every time I turn around and I can't remember 'em all anymore. Heck, I can't even remember all my diagnoses.....that list is growing too. Gotta love getting old! :cheeky:

poppycat, ADN, BSN · May 22, 2013

Before my dad died, I was the one who took him to all doctor appointments & to the ER whenever necessary. I put together a packet which I kept in my purse at all times. It included his medical & surgical history (which was extensive!), current medications (which I updated after every doctor visit), DNR, POA, and contact numbers for myself, my husband, & my sister. Every time I had to take him to ER, I took extra copies of the DNR & POA because I know they don't keep a copy in front of them just in case a patient shows up. Whenever I gave these to the nurses I always got such a surprised reaction. I guess that's because not many people are that prepared. It saved a lot of worrying about having things done that he didn't want, though.

NutmeggeRN, BSN · May 22, 2013

Then you have the parent who you do not see everyday or talk to. They are not always truthful in their daily activities....like when they fell at the post office and refused to be transported...(then have back pain for several weeks)....or when they are asked by the MD to return in 6 mos for a follow up and do not do so. (I live several hundred miles away so I cannot attend these appts)

or when they DO see the MD and don't share when med changes happen.....

Sensing a little personal frustration here? :eek:

My mom lives in senior housing, still drives (for now) wants to be independant but is then PEEVED when there are changes she does not tell us about (back pain x3 weeks) and is irritable when we are not around to help.....because we do not know......

skylark, BSN, RN · May 22, 2013

Having the list is great, I guess we've all had waaaay too many patients who walk in and tell you they take tablets, no they don't know the name . . . they are the little white ones . . . why don't you know what they are? . . . no, I don't know what they are for, I'm not a doctor am I? . . . where's the doc i saw when i was here ten years ago . . . . . . .

But I've also seen families who make this into some kind of hobby. They bring in a scrapbook containing summaries that run to dozens of pages, including minor sprains back in 1957, pregnancy hyperemesis symptoms from 1962, the name of every doctor they ever saw, etc, etc.

I guess there is a fine line between providing helpful concise information and being obsessive, huh?

Nurse Leigh · May 22, 2013

http://medicalhistorybracelet.com/ I think that used properly, these are great!

NotMyProblem MSN, ASN, BSN, MSN, LPN, RN · May 23, 2013

As a med/surg floor nurse, we are REQUIRED to review the RECONCILED list from the ER. As expected, more often than not, we get the usual, "I forgot to mention ----- when I was downstairs." Yes, I know, Honey. That's why I'm asking again. Or at 3am, "you know, I don't think we mentioned mama's tranquillizer that she's been taking religiously for the past 10 years." (would have been nice to know before that embarrassing streaking sprint down the hallway)

Bruce_Wayne, ASN, RN · May 23, 2013

One of the local facilities has started having the Pharm.D.'s do the med reconciliation in the ER before a pt comes up to the floor. It's awesome because they do a great job. I think that the ER RN's are capable of doing just as good of a job, but the truth was that they often didn't take the time to reconcile the meds properly, granted that it can be a very time consuming procedure. And I can see the frustration where you take all the time to get the med list accurately updated and then literally everything is stopped or changed.

I think anybody that has the medical literacy to make one of those sheets, wouldn't really need it in practice.

whodatlady504 · May 23, 2013

GREAT advice!