stephonme

If the 70 year is clearly in pain and not abusing the pain medications that is fine but we have some that have Norco ativan and trazadone at bedtime and still asking for more. In fact this resident was chasing the dr in her wheelchair asking for more while he was on rounds. She wants to stay in a sleepy drugged state. Her family even wants this to stop.

I believe that if we know what time a person is going home from a skilled rehabilitation facility that the doctor should gradually take them off the pain medication before release. When the patient first arrives every 4 hours after surgery is fine, but as the release date comes closer the time between pain medications should be increasing. They need to be weaned off the medication or close to it before they leave. By the time they leave every 8-12 hours as needed for pain. I believe it would help.

We send off for a test called a urine culture and sensitivty to see what antibiotic will work for the infection. It will tell you the 1st day if they have a uti but takes aanother day or so to see what antibiotic will work.