FA Making us fill home pill boxes.

Tish88 · Jul 12, 2011

NO!

It is hard enough to get the patients to bring in a "list" of their current meds for our records let alone bringing in their meds! Med checks should be done on a monthly basis.

We need to keep these patients as independent as possible! I feel the dialysis community tends to do too much for some patients, such as making doctors appts., arranging their transportation, etc.

What other patient population out there has a group of healthcare workers doing these tasks for them? I can't think of any!

Trauma Columnist · Jul 12, 2011

That's what the pharmacy is for! If med assistance is needed, you need to get home care involved and then also a pharmacy.

Tish88 · Jul 12, 2011

My daughter is a pharmacist, and I asked her if they fill pill boxes for patients and her response was "are you joking? The pharmacies are busy enough just filling the prescriptions." The pharmacy techs do not do it either.

I totally agree with home health care getting involved if the patients or their family members can't do it themselves.

My question is - "why can't the patients do it themselves?"

550Qb · Jul 15, 2011

We fill pill boxes for patients at my clinic... for blind patients/patient who have poor vision and also patients who are consistently messing up their medications... We're all busy all the time with way to much to do and never enough time to do it... but filling pill boxes doesn't bother me- I'm just glad my patients are taking the correct medications :)

kellrn4 · Aug 20, 2011

OH my! :eek: Am I the only one that sees multiple liability issues with filling a pt's home med pill box? If our FA told us to do this I would politely refuse, state my reasons for refusing and deal with whatever reprimand she/he would give me.

Scenario: Pt goes home, takes the meds you filled the box with for the next day. Has a massive coronary event, blames the dialysis nurse for "filling the pill box with the wrong med." How are you going to prove you did not?

If the pt is to the point of not being able to take the correct medications on a daily basis it's time for the family to intervene and take appropriate actions. Just my 2 cents. :)

Trauma Columnist · Aug 20, 2011

private pharmacies in my area do still fill pill boxes.

Marisette, BSN, RN · Aug 23, 2011

Hi. No Pill box filling at my dialysis facility. Medications should be dispensed by a pharmacy. Thats why we no longer give out stock from the clinics to patients unless a pharmacist handles the drug first, not the RN at the facility. Even if the Pharmacist dispenses the drug, it does not sound like filling a pill box should be done by the dialysis facilities. General practioners, Nephrologist may change medications and dosing. I think this puts your facility at risk for medication errors. This responsibility belongs to the patient, care giver, or home health RN. Perhaps you should look at state pharmacy dispensation policies, if you can't find anything specific to the company where you work.

wordsmith · Sep 18, 2011

As above, liability issues, time issues...check with your clinical service specialist and nursing board to see if it's dispensing. Yikes. I sure wouldn't do it, FA or no. I think my CSS wouldn't go along with it, either. Also, that's what home health nurses are for.

renalkid · Sep 18, 2011

I am a pt not a nurse but would like to give my input. As for filling pill boxes, I'm blind and do this myself, I'm not sure if your patient reads braille, but I have a system where I baught one of those devider thingies that you would by for a dror. In one section I have my daily meds, in another section I have my as needed meds, etc. I have someone tell me what they are and I use a dimo labeler which I have in braille and braille the name of the med. I also use the feel method, I've got accustomed to what all of my pills feel like. Also a they have talking devices for meds but these are expensive. And yes I prefer to fill my own.

As for scheduling my own apts, I got in trouble for doing this. I called my vascular surgeons office because I felt that I needed a fistulagram, the receptionist was very rude and she said well if you needed a fistulagram that's for your dialysis center to notify us and not you we will check with them and call you back. Let's say I have since found a new surgeon who lets me schedule my own apt.

Trekfan · Sep 19, 2011

Home care is not going to come out to fill pill boxs if the person is not homebound !

wordsmith · Sep 19, 2011

Then the previous suggestions people have made apply--pharmacy, doctor's office, family or friend to do for the patient or assist the patient in filling the box. For sight impaired, same thing, or as the Braille-using person suggested, a Dymo labeler and having someone help out with what meds are what. Wonder if that person's pharmacy could label the bottle with just the name of the med with a Dymo labeler before putting it in the bag to make it easier for the patient.