Q about patients questioning meds

Sour Lemon · Jun 24, 2018

This one helps you organize your thoughts? Think more clearly? Some psych patients are very familiar with their medications and their classes and not as likely to get offended as we think they might be. It feels awkward to me too, though.

CelticGoddess, BSN, RN · Jun 24, 2018

This may seem like a stupid question, but I'm a new nurse. I have that handful of pts who want to know what each and every pill is for. Fine, but it just seems...mean? To say "that's your antipsychotic"... what do you say when that's exactly what it is?

What is the patient taking it for. For instance, Seroquel is an anti-psychotic but can also be used for insomnia. Or some take it for a specific illness (Bipolar). Tell them it's their medication for what disease it's treating.

A few of my patient who were on anti-psychotics, I would just say that it was an anti psychotic, others, I would just tell them "it's for your Bipolar" or whatever disease it was used for. YOu don't necesarily have to give the class, if you tell them what they are taking it for, it should suffice.

Have Nurse, ADN, RN · Jun 24, 2018

You are asking a very good question. Patients have the right to know what they are getting. In school, you were taught not only to understand what you are giving, but possible side effects in addition to the normal doses, etc. While the patient might not need to know all of that (and you probably don't have time to explain it all,) you can give them a brief explanation of what they are taking, and that their Dr. has ordered it. Some meds are new to them, so they may question it anyway and they may refuse it until they get a chance to speak with their physician which is appropriate. Sometimes, the vendor for the hospital pharmacy supplies the same meds that the patient might take, but in a different color. That would also be a trigger for a patient to question it. When doses change, say for Coumadin or Levothyroxine, often the color changes too and a patient may notice the difference and question it if they don't understand, which is appropriate. In any case, great question.

TwoLayi, ADN, BSN, RN · Jul 7, 2018

Good question! I have been in this situation many times and I think it really depends on the individual patient. You can tell them it for Bipolar, schizophrenia etc, as someone else suggested. However I usually don't do this mainly for privacy reasons, I don't know if the patient wants roommates or other people in earshot aware of their diagnosis. Unless the patient openly talks about it. So I usually focus on the symptoms, like stabilize moods.

The same for meds like Aricept. I don't say " This is Aricept for your dementia" I will tell them it helps with memory and supports brain funtioning. Because in my experience patients that are A&O enough to ask, will deny they have dementia, but are more likely to admit they have memory problems.