Medication Passes and Group Homes

[shozzy]

Hi, I am new to this forum. I am an LPN over 3 group homes. I am also on call every other week end for all the group homes in our Agency. The staff need no special certification to work at this Agency or to pass medications, they go through a 3 day medication training class.

We have a 94% rate of correct medication passes. It is the 6% of error that concerns me. Does anyone have any suggestions

regarding how to promote the importance of prioritzing correct medication passes.

Example issues: Right med, right time, seasoned staff that 'blow off passing medications', seasoned staff giving medications to the wrong pt., etc.

I know 6% error rate over all is a small number, but these type of errors cause serious medical problems for pts. Such as resp. depression, lethargy, increased seizure activity, pain management left untreated and etc.

The younger generation in this field of health care seem to 'not get' the seriousness/importance for medication and medical treatment for medical fragile persons with D/D. It also seems over the years staff have become less sensitive to the pts. with disabilites. I have been working on designing a training class on Sensitivy. Does any one have any suggestions?? Do you think having staff sit on rock for 2 hours of sensitivity training might give them an idea of what it feels like to be in a w/c and not get repositioned?

Any ideas and suggestions are very welcomed.

Shozzy.

But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength;

they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run

and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint.

ISAIAH 40:31

[buildingmyfaith57]

what bugs me the most is that some of the agency doesn't train people on med errors. to me they should im now listen to abc news about nurses giving the wrong medications.

[LITTLEKBOPEEP]

If you came across any good info please let me know. I am having this same problem.

[WoofyMutt80]

This kind of stuff scares me because if I had a family member in a group home, I would want someone licensed and trained to not only pass meds but to know what to do in case the person recieved the wrong med and had a reaction. I know of a few group homes in my area and the staff, where some are fresh out of high school, go through MAP training, but it doesnt give them a license to pass meds, but a certificate.

[chickapea]

I'm glad you brought this up. I'm a CNA and at a new job in assisted living which seems very nice. I'm taking in house training on caregiving and dementia care since I'm new there. I'm also encourged to get certified as a med tech. I really don't want to since it goes against my certificaton as a CNA in CA. I was told I would be "frowned upon" if I did not do this. I guess their thought is if I was on shift as a med tech I would not be working under my CNA certificate. Still, I'd rather not. I too agree that people should have more training. That being said, I feel that I could do the job and would never take it on until I was fully capable. I just don't know how prepared the training will really make me. I'm working toward being Nurse someday and I hope I get into a nursing program soon!

On the sensitivity issue, I do think it's a great idea to sit in wheelchair for part of the trainig without being moved... good luck lasting an hour! Sometimes walking a mile in someone else's shoes really helps and we could all use a reminder on perspective once in a while. Sometimes though I also wonder if certain levels of sensitvity just can't be taught. The level needed in this line of work should come from within. :redbeathe

[SDALPN]

The younger generation in this field of health care seem to 'not get' the seriousness/importance for medication and medical treatment for medical fragile persons with D/D.

Not all of the younger generation of nurses are like that! I am in the younger generation of nurses (in my late 20's) and know other nurses that are even younger than me that take it very serious. I've seen older nurses not take meds/tx serious. I doubt that it has anything to do with the age of the caregiver!

[fmoore723]

The younger generation in this field of health care seem to 'not get' the seriousness/importance for medication and medical treatment for medical fragile persons with D/D.

I, too, would like to comment on this. I, straight out of of LPN school, worked in a LTC facility. Im in my mid-20s. There were 2-3 other 'younger' nurses that also worked there with me. From my experience, we were the ones that were double-checking orders, questioning things, and actually passing the meds. The seasoned nurses were the ones that were caught on several occassions simply NOT passing their meds or, if a patient was out of a med, simply marking med not in cart/not given---but not calling the pharmacy to refill the med, day after day. I dont think that you can attribute the 'not getting it' to the younger generation, as much as simply the personality and attitude of the nurse/person themselves.

Felicia

[mscsrjhm]

I have been working on designing a training class on Sensitivy. Does any one have any suggestions?? Do you think having staff sit on rock for 2 hours of sensitivity training might give them an idea of what it feels like to be in a w/c and not get repositioned?

Any ideas and suggestions are very welcomed.

Shozzy.

If you told me to sit on a rock, I would assume you were crazy. I have heard of nurses putting rice in CNA shoes, and one nurse even forced CNAs to wear wet (new) depends. My opinion- nurses are pushing envelopes with this type of sensitivity training. If employees aren't paying attention and do not take meds seriously...write them up. You cannot teach caring, compassion, or even good work ethics. If Disciplinaries and income loss is not sufficient motivation for compliance, they need to find another job.

Weed out the bad apples quickly, so you don't lose any good apples.

Just my opinion.