classifying meds on med profile

The office has changed how we have to classify meds on the med profile. Like with Abx, there are approx 8 different abx classes and I usually have no clue how to classify. Does anyone know of anywhere online I can get a copy of something to help me out. I usually have to choose "abx...other" because I have no freaking clue! I hate this. They just keep making my job harder to do. They provided us with a book that classifies, but it only says "anti-infective", it doesnt tell what class of anti-infective. I am so frustrated wen I have to do a SOC and have to fill that out, especially when the patients has pages of meds.

My present employers don't bother with a med profile at all. My previous employers that used a med profile, had the "anti-infective" category. I can only suggest that you search each one on the internet and see what category comes up. Then, make your own pocket list for future reference and add to it as necessary. From too little to way too much, if you ask me.

[chenoaspirit, ASN, RN]

you dont fill out a med profile on admission? wow. We have to keep one in every patients home, update it with EVERY med change/addition/dc, etc and write a doc order for any meds, even if they already have the Rx filled. Its very aggrivating. How do you keep up with each patient med list then? Just curious. Ours just keep making the paperwork aspect more and more difficult. How on earth am I supposed to know every drug class. I mean, I know if its an antihypertensive, antigout, etc, but they make us get down to the nitty gritty.

The employers I now have are lucky to even figure out how to get nurses in the home. One of them has an LVN for the nurse supervisor instead of an RN. Can't figure that one out.

[KateRN1]

Get a good drug book, that's all there is to it. I like Mosby's Nursing Drug Guide.

[annaedRN, RN]

For antibiotics, a microbiology text or source will have them broken down...or call the pharmacy for a reference or just to flat out ask them. That stinks to have to classify them that in depth - what is the rationale for all of the extra work? As long as you can teach the patient about the correct regimen/schedule, s/e, interactions, key points - that is what matters.

[chenoaspirit, ASN, RN]

I agree. I talked with my manager about this and she is going to try to get us a new med classification book. The old one they gave us doesnt work with this new med profile. I dont understand why they have to make the paperwork aspect so difficult. Im beginning to hate homehealth and I used to love it.

[jnette, ASN, EMT-I]

I agree. I talked with my manager about this and she is going to try to get us a new med classification book. The old one they gave us doesnt work with this new med profile. I dont understand why they have to make the paperwork aspect so difficult. Im beginning to hate homehealth and I used to love it.

That's really too bad... I would think admin would KNOW how much paperwork is already involved, and to make this so much more difficult and time consuming just doesn't make sense at all. Road nurses have ENOUGH to deal with already... that really bites, imo. :stone

Can you nurses sit down with the admins and ask for a justifiable rationale for this new change?

try http://www.drugdigest.com

[tewdles, RN]

IMHO this is BS...a simple classification as an anti-infective should be adequate. If it is not then they really need to give it to someone else to do,a pharmacist perhaps...another example of requiring nurses to do the job of another discipline in order to save/make the employer money.

At my home health employers, nobody ever did anything with the med profiles after they were initiated anyway. They just looked nice in the binder. And for that matter, only two employers bothered with them at all. None of my current five supposed employers even go through the motions of a med profile. Like tewdles implied, busy-work that detracts from what is important. I used to make a copy of the med profile to take along on medical appointments to show the doctor, so I made use of them. Nobody else bothers with any of it.