Published
Yee-haw!
The NMs on both units changed half the meds to 5 am so I have another hour. Wow, does it feel good to trust what I'm doing!
I'm liking this place.
:)
I've passed meds many times to 40 residents on a dementia unit. Did I follow the 5 rights? Yes. Did I do it safely? Yes. Did I make any mistakes? No. Was it hard work? You bet...but lots of people can do it and do it safely.
I just don't understand how to do it, I get interrupted all the time, and when I go into the room to give the meds, they've got to go to the bathroom or they need something else. I have to take blood pressures or AHR before giving some meds, or the patient will want to take the twenty pills they get ONE at a time and drink half of a gallon of water with each. I love the patients and do not want to hurry them, but I do not think I am cut out for LTC. I think 10 to 15 patients is do-able, anything more, I am risking my license.
I just don't understand how to do it, I get interrupted all the time, and when I go into the room to give the meds, they've got to go to the bathroom or they need something else. I have to take blood pressures or AHR before giving some meds, or the patient will want to take the twenty pills they get ONE at a time and drink half of a gallon of water with each. I love the patients and do not want to hurry them, but I do not think I am cut out for LTC. I think 10 to 15 patients is do-able, anything more, I am risking my license.
You have to tell them that you will get the aide.
vsink
11 Posts
I do not believe that any human can safely pass medications to that many patients and follow the 5 rights all the time. I am sick of the people in charge making good nurses make bad choices in trying to hurry to get all the meds passed in a rediculous timeframe. I challenge ANYBODY OF ANY DEGREE to pass medications using the 5 rights with every medication administration to pass that many meds in that timeframe. Even the people that make us try to do this unsafe nursing practice is unable to do this feat, It is all about the profit. If you happen to be the one to make an error big enough to cause harm or death, then your license is on the line, and you stand before the board all by yourself. Until all nurses band together and stop putting ourselves in this type of postion, it will not change. LTC in the United States is a JOKE!