PT's and Medication....

[MissRigg]

So I am the clinical manager at my agency, and we are trying to problem solve Medication education for our patients. My overall thought it that our nursing staff is doing this task, but I am concerned our therapist are just writing down a list of meds. We have had an in-service on this point... But I'm not confident they will be able to effectively correct the problem. is there any other way to fix the issue other than having a nurse open all cases? Or hoping the therapist will pick up on how to do the task?

[Daisy4RN]

Not sure I understand your question but...It was my understanding that RN's must do all admit (open) paperwork. If the therapist are doing it (and they are allowed to) then I don't see the problem, either they step up and do their job or they look for another one.

[MissRigg]

Hey daisy,

I know my question is kinda of strange, but my agency is small, we have 3 RNs, so the nurse can't open all the cases, and we are educating the PT's to do a comprehensive medication review, I am just scheptical about the review they are doing, ( based on patient survey results) I'm just looking for a check and balance system that can help me to ensure that an appropriate review is being done... I don't know if such a thing exists.

[cyc0sys]

Why don't you have the pharmacy do the medication review?

[Libby1987]

PT typically admit healthy orthos and stable general weakness type cases.

PT does a medication reconciliation, interactions are run and PT notifies MD of interactions per your agency's policy.

If patient needs medication education and/or observation other than basics for pain and non warfarin anticoag mgmt.. then SN eval is requested.

As clinical manager, you ensure that your PTs have demonstrated medication reconciliation competency. Why are you hoping versus observing and ensuring that your PTs pick up on the task? Isn't that part of your initial and annual competency check off?

Do you call a percentage of patients and ask about their services? You can include a question whether staff went through all of their medications one by one in the home on their first visit and asked about any new or changed meds on subsequent visits. It only takes a few calls to PT only patients to get an idea of who is performing and who isn't.

[caliotter3]

Worked for a small agency where the agency DPCS did the admits. That would be one way of insuring that all the bases are covered on that first visit.

[BBP42]

At my agency if a therapist does the admit they do a med reconciliation only and nursing has a follow up visit for the med teaching. I think the therapists should at least be doing anticoagulant teaching though as many stable orthos are sent home with Lovenox, etc. and it is often a new med for them. Even if you just prepare a handout about anticoagulant precautions for the therapists to give to applicable patients on admission.