Nursing student help.....

evolvingrn, BSN, RN · Jul 23, 2010

i think perhaps your not grasping the concept because its not that she needs to 'refuse' each pill by name but that you should use critical thinking to choose and hold that med.

mschelee, MSN, RN · Jul 23, 2010

Your patient doesn't need to name each drug she is refusing, her statement alone, that she had diarrhea a few times the day before and she is refusing the laxative today is all you needed. You simply need to chart that it was refused, and let your instructor know the med was held, because of diarrhea the day before and the patients refusal. Not all patients know exactly what med is the laxative, so she may not be able to tell you it by name. They have the right to refuse any of their meds.

Chapis · Jul 23, 2010

"she was scheduled to take about 5 laxatives today, but she said that she didn't want laxatives"

the last part of your sentence tells you she refused the laxatives, i will start clinicals this coming semester, maybe you could've asked her straight forward, "you are sure you do not want to take these laxatives?" or something along those lines, that way you had her statement of refusing them, then you asking her, and her answer was still the same.

i don't know. good question, i'll remember to ask this to my ci and ask her how do we deal with these type of situations or what do we say or if we're supposed to ask one more time if a pt is refusing their meds.

Chapis · Jul 23, 2010

maybe you can ask your ci what is the 'concept' you're not grasping. tell her to be more specific as you want to be on top of your clinical rotaions.