I have your meds, please take them:)

ChristineN, BSN, RN · Jun 2, 2011

I will leave meds at the pt's bedside, but never narcotics. Also, I always go back in to check on my pt to make sure the pills were taken. If you co-worker never went back in that room the entire rest of her shift to see if the cup of pills was there, then she was negligent in checking up on her pt.

bsyrn, ASN, RN · Jun 2, 2011

It is never a good idea to leave pt's meds at the bedside. How can you be sure the right patient got the meds if you did not administer them? It is just bad practice....

carl5480 · Jun 2, 2011

I make it a practice to never leave pills with patients, for that very reason. Especially if she'd already been warned. Luckily, we have lockboxes in our rooms where we can store medications, so if a patient isn't ready yet, we can lock them up and recheck at a later time. But ultimately, it is our responsibility as nurses to ensure the safety of 1) our patients, by giving medications as documented, or by not giving medications and documenting why, and to ensure the safety of 2) anyone else who might be on the unit. What if a small child visited this patient and took the pills he'd left out (it's happened before)? What if a visitor or other staff member nabbed the pills in case there was something there they wanted?

I'm sorry your co-worker got busted, but it's just asking for trouble to document that you've given something and not actually making sure that it was given.

iwanna · Jun 2, 2011

I would never leave meds and trust that the patient will take them. If, theya re refusing at the time, I would take them back to the med cart, and try a bit later. After that, I would simply mark patient refused meds at time of after two, three attempts. It is important to let the patient know that it is a law that you must witness them taking their pills. If they refuse, they refuse - just make sure you include in shift report and document refusal of meds. Leaving them at bedside, is just setting self up for disaster.

merlee · Jun 2, 2011

No meds left at the bedside. No meds left at the bedside. No meds left at the bedside.

I was taught that nearly 40 years ago. Nothing has changed.

How hard can that be to remember? I was a patient and didn't ask for my meds to be left.

I have no problem with someone getting terminated for leaving meds at the bedside.

netglow, ASN, RN · Jun 2, 2011

OK, (geeeez)...

Never leave meds with patient.

YOU MUST ADMINISTER THE MEDICATION.

:no:

rainbowsandsunshine · Jun 2, 2011

I agree, I always watch them take their pills, and frequently check their mouth to make sure everything went down (if they are not Ox3). I would never leave pills at bedside. If the patient did not want to take them, I would put them back on the med cart or lock them up to offer at a later time.

You never know who might wander into the room and take those pills.... think of what would happen if somebody took an unprescribed BP pill, narcotic, or other serious drug? Many medications can be very dangerous, not everything is colace!

Mrs. SnowStormRN, RN · Jun 2, 2011

Of course we know we do not leave pills at the bedside, but I still can't get pass the fact that she continued to do this after being warned and told she was being watched. Now that was bold.

wishiwereanurse, BSN, RN · Jun 2, 2011

with visitors going in and out of the rooms..nope no way i'm leaving those pills in the room...either the pt takes it or refuse it.

Chin up · Jun 2, 2011

A good friend of mine at work got fired yesterday. She had been warned about leaving pills at a patients bedside and not making sure they took them. They warned her that they were watching her and it happened again. This pt always said 'yeah, thanks I'll take them when I get up in a while" well apparently he slept all night and brought it to someones attention. She assumed he would take them, but she forgot that he was a patient because he was sick, and maybe a little forgetful. I will miss this friend but I also worry that in this fast paced work atmosphere anyone can make a mistake. I always worry that I miss something.

This was not a mistake, but lack of sense. I am not even going to get into whether anyone should leave them at the bedside. We all know, what we can and cannot do. But, the chick was warned. They could have fired her the first time. But choose instead, to give her another chance. They even told her, they would be watching her..... Come on, to blatantly spit in their face deserves a firing.

ckh23, BSN, RN · Jun 2, 2011

This was not a mistake, but lack of sense. I am not even going to get into whether anyone should leave them at the bedside. We all know, what we can and cannot do. But, the chick was warned. They could have fired her the first time. But choose instead, to give her another chance. They even told her, they would be watching her..... Come on, to blatantly spit in their face deserves a firing.

I agree. I mean what did she expect was going to happen?