NO Med Pass At Meals

ktwlpn, LPN · Oct 25, 2005

Hi, I just started working at a LTC facility. Starting Nov. first we'll no longer be able to give residents their meds at meals times. This isn't such a big deal at noon or at supper time, but in the morning most of the residents are in the dining room eating breakfast. Anyone have any suggestions on how to make the med pass a little smoother nov 1st.??? Thanks

I've worked in 2 facilities that actually had to change the mealtimes-at one facility they also changed the shift times for the dietary dept and nursing (day shift was 6am to 2pm instead of 7am to 3pm)...The one I'm in now changed the medication round times

.We went from 8-12-4-8 to 9-1-5-9 and this made all of the difference.We also have more med carts-we have 2 med nurses doing the med passes on our larger units so the time has been cut WAY down....You usually have at least an hour to get some folks while they are still in bed and them maybe catch the rest just outside of the dining room? Where I work now most of our residents eat breakfast in bed so it's not a problem....We have a large facility so it has taken alot of tweaking

for the meals to arrive on each unit within the allowable time window in the am (I think they have 10mins around the scheduled time and within the number of hours allowed between the evening meal and breakfast it has taken alot of tweaking to get it right... We went from 8-12-4-8 to 9-1-5-9 and this made all of the difference.We also have more med carts-we have 2 med nurses doing the med passes on our larger units so the time has been cut WAY down.....Our DON was never the most flexible person and does not like change....I was surprised when she snapped up more med carts.Those med passes used to be killer...You have to get creative to be compliant-the answers are there but peopke will b*tch and moan over anything at first.Good Luck

Chicklet2 · Oct 25, 2005

Hey thanks for the reply, I have 39 clients to pass meds too. Takes about 7:30am to justbefore 10am to get it all done........ ick