No More Afternoon Med Pass? Say It Ain't So!

[Nurse!Nurse!Hello?]

I am wondering whether any other facilities have implemented the type of change my LTC is considering. Here's the deal: no meds will be passed between 4pm and 6pm. Instead of doing the afternoon med pass, the nurses will be assisting residents with eating, spending "quality time" with them, etc.

Now my usual afternoon med pass for 41 SNF and LTC residents goes from 3:30-6:30pm. So, I guess I am supposed to start my med pass at 6pm. How's that gonna work? If I am combining my afternoon and evening med passes, and start at 6pm, it will take at least 4 hours. Then it's 10pm (if I'm lucky) and finally time for my dinner break?? That leaves me 15 minutes for charting on all residents, taking off orders, monthly summaries, etc. before my shift ends!

Don't get me wrong--I'm all for "culture change," although I've never heard of it actually being implemented as nicely as in the original "culture change" facilities. Has anyone else heard of this concept of eliminating the afternoon med pass? I really want to know how it can work...

[kappykatlpn]

Hello!

I am an LPN in LTC. I have been a nurse for about 8 years, all in LTC. I really don't see how that is going to work! Wow, I am really curious. Keep us posted how how is goes.

Kathy

[meluhn]

How is that going to work for insulin and prandin and coumadin (we always give it at 6pm) and that kind of stuff? I dont think you can get away without giving any meds at all at that time, but let me know.

[ktwlpn, LPN]

That's interesting-someone is going to have to examine every residents meds and adjust the times-bid,tid and qid meds won't be a problem but what about scheduled hourly meds? I don't see this working but I can't wait to hear what happens. They have not thought this through-why pay RN/LPN's to do an activity aides work?

[catlynLPN]

Wow! that's going to double your 8pm med pass.

Also, some meds can't be given together. You can

give them separately when you have two med passes but with one med pass you'll have only one chance to give both meds.

I guess you could schedule two meds that shouldn't be together, like one for the patient at the beginning of the med pass and then stop back by to that patient at the end of the med pass.

If you have several patients on meds that shouldn't be together you're going to be making 2 stops for all those patients requiring separation of some meds.

What a can of worms. I wouldn't go for this at all.

[lisamc1RN, LPN]

Do you not have activity aides? Why does it specifically have to be nurses who do this? And I agree with others. What about insulins, coumadins, etc? Personally, I would love it IF I thought it could work. It would be great to have one med pass in a shift and I could spend the rest of the time doing other things. But I don't think I could handle a 3-4 hour med pass, nor do I think that being that time committed to it would be good for the residents. God forbid if you have a fall or someone who's hypoglycemic to deal with!