Difficult PO Medication Administration

[gpmedsec]

I am a new LPN working in a nursing home on a dementia unit. Can anyone give me hints for administering oral medications for those residents who refuse ttake it the first time I offer it? I know their preferences such as offering it in putting, ice cream comic cetera but those who simply will not take it I just don't know how to react roach them to get it in. I thought maybe some of you had some tricks you could share.

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

Moved to pt meds

[clvn23]

I work in a memory care lock down unit as a Lvn a lot of ours have crush orders so a lot are in applesauce and you really just have to act in a positive way and excited to give them their medicine and be assertive as well offer them a prize after , we have one wander we always put hers in ice cream and walk with her to the table and sit down you just have to catch them at the right moment with their mood. Hope it will get better you will learn their personalities!:)

[ComeTogether, LPN]

Perception is reality, so my advice is to just go with the situation. If you try to sit there and say "Ms. G, it's time for your medicine" it's probably not going to go over very well. On the other hand, If you say "Ms. G, here...try this for me, I just made it for you" she's more likely to oblige. Mixing with applesauce, pudding etc. works great when safe to do so. Obviously we can't lie, but it's not exactly helping anyone to explain what each med is etc. with dementia patients. Does that make sense?

You can also be more matter of fact about it "The doctor called, he wants you to take these" can work with some patients who still have white coat syndrome, they hear doctor and start to comply.