Question about holding meds?

[Scarlettz, BSN, RN]

I work in a mental health setting and I had a patient whose blood pressure was 89/something and the aide rechecked it and it was 91/something. There are no parameters in the order to say "Hold BP medication if SBP is

I guess my question is more of an ethical / legal question mainly. I know this will happen again and I just want feedback as to whether or not I went about this the right way? I followed the order but at the same time I worry that I was denying the patient of his right to take the medication. I usually ask patients if they are feeling dizzy, lightheaded when their BP is low, but I did not ask him this time. It is a low dosage of the BP medication. Of course it was explained to him while it was held. I just want to make sure I did the right thing for the patient - as I hope they will re-examine his meds with the other psych meds he is taking. WDYT?

[isis07734]

I'd hold it. You can always give it on the next set. But yes, the proper answer is: get parameters.

[RetrieverGirl, BSN, RN]

I usually hold it and recheck the BP and give it at a later time. If it's still low then I'll call. I typically do not like to hold beta blockers because cardiologists get a little ticked when nurses do that.

[Nurse_JackieVA, BSN, RN]

Without knowing what med we're talking about and what his BPs have been ranging; I would have held it then called to get parameters or waited for the MD to do their morning rounds and talked to them about it -with new set of vitals- & get parameters.

[jdub6]

If this is acute care we sre talking about the pt has no right to take medication-you got an order to hold so you were covered. This would be like saying someone admitted for Xanax abuse had a right to take the 10mg 8 times a day that they took at home.

They have a right to refuse but not to demand unsafe or not ordered meds.