med noncompliance

[afteralltheseyears]

Just wondering how your facilities handle inmates who are noncompliant with taking important meds--antihypertensives, diabetes meds, etc. We have an inmate who continually tries to be given her meds at the time she desires rather than receiving them at med pass time like everyone else. When she's not allowed to take it when she wants she says "fine, I just won't take it then". How do you protect yourselves/employers from liability?

[rn/writer, RN]

I'm not working in corrections, however, a nurse's first line of defense is almost always to document the heck out of whatever is problematic.

Have you asked the inmate why she has this preference? The obvious answer is manipulation and trying to exert control in a place where she has few choices. But there may be something more to it. Side effects, interaction with food. There might not be anything you can do about it. Then again, who knows?

Thanks for doing a challenging job.

[Monica RN,BSN]

Just wondering how your facilities handle inmates who are noncompliant with taking important meds--antihypertensives, diabetes meds, etc. We have an inmate who continually tries to be given her meds at the time she desires rather than receiving them at med pass time like everyone else. When she's not allowed to take it when she wants she says "fine, I just won't take it then". How do you protect yourselves/employers from liability?

we have a form which is a consent for refusal. They must sign a refusal when they refuse meds or any other type of medical treatment.

[nancykday]

Just wondering how your facilities handle inmates who are noncompliant with taking important meds--antihypertensives, diabetes meds, etc. We have an inmate who continually tries to be given her meds at the time she desires rather than receiving them at med pass time like everyone else. When she's not allowed to take it when she wants she says "fine, I just won't take it then". How do you protect yourselves/employers from liability?

We report our non compliant i/m to psych and medical for non compliance after 3 missed doses.

Psych counsels the i/m and if non compliance continues, the i/m is admitted to POC ( psych ob cell = stripped cell with suicide precautions) for self injurious behavior. We always call the i/m down to sign a refusal for failing to show for insulin line and repeated non compliance can end them up in POC and then 304 305 to MHU for continued non compliance.

[psychonurse]

Since it is probably a control issue you may do what we do for inmate compliance on some psych meds. When they are first put on may keep on person, we call them in at several different times of the day and week to check to see if they are taking thier medications. If they continue to not take take them properly, we put them back on the medication cart and she needs to sign a refusal of care paper saying that the department isn't going to be held repsonsible for her not taking her medications.

Sonya

[nancykday]

Since it is probably a control issue you may do what we do for inmate compliance on some psych meds. When they are first put on may keep on person, we call them in at several different times of the day and week to check to see if they are taking thier medications. If they continue to not take take them properly, we put them back on the medication cart and she needs to sign a refusal of care paper saying that the department isn't going to be held repsonsible for her not taking her medications.

Sonya

You are able to give out psych meds for self administration? All our psychotropic meds are crushed and are DOT.

[gina gina]

hi, first cover ur butt by documenting.follow protocol of jail,she must sign a form(that's what we do here)pt's rights.don't let this stress u,jus get ur money ,smile and go home happily:lol2: