Refusing..... Eye drops??

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Hello everyone! Always wanted to post but never had anything to say until today. A little about me: I just graduated as a Certified Medical Assistant, but after working in Assisted Living facilities for the last year and a half I have decided to stay with my current job and continue with my degree in Registered Nursing.

In assisted living we have "med techs" that pass pills and handle medications such as eye drops, as well as doing the 24 hour reports. Yesterday was my last training as a Med Tech after being just normal Direct Care Staff at this facility for ~3 months.

During my 3 days of med tech training, I've had ONE resident give me issues that I wouldn't normally expect. This resident, ALTHOUGH she has in the past been confused about where she is, I would say is of mostly sound mind. She's ok with me giving her HS pills, but refuses to let me give her eye drops. She always has the excuse that she "always" waits until she's in bed to get them, but I've asked the other med techs and they said she's never said that to them. Basically, every other med tech walks into the room with the bottle and she immediately takes her glasses off.

This has kept me up all night trying to figure out why she would refuse me giving her eye drops. Being a male that works in healthcare, I know and understand that some women residents want a woman to assist them with toileting and bathing. She is one of those people, but has gotten used to me and allows me to toilet her. It's just that she's refusing.... Eye drops!!!!

It's not that I feel like a failure or feel depressed about this. It's just that it's so bizarre. We have a memory care unit and I get told "eat ****" and get swung at/screamed at/scratched nearly every day. It's just this ONE resident, on the regular assisted living unit, that is giving me issues.

I guess my question is, how do I just "make this happen"? I've been considering just telling her "[other med tech] and [other med tech] give you your drops at this time every day. They keep your eyes healthy!" And just telling her that my shift ends soon so if she doesn't take them she has to wait until tommorow night to get them. Even on memory care I've never had a resident go to bed without their meds (there's been a couple refusals, but they took them later on without issue). I've just been having the aides on the floor give them to her, which she allows and I WOULD be ok with doing this forever. The thing is, it just takes time out of my shift when I have a TON of HS pills and inhalers and eye drops to be passing on both units. Every minute counts.

Any suggestions??

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

Seriously you need to relax. I have no idea why she is doing this with you. But.... she has the right to refuse and I wouldn't get in a knot about it. You will find when you become a nurse you have lots bigger things to worry about.

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Yes, I am aware that I am reading way to much into this. That's just how my mind works. I can deal with falls, blood, 911 calls and hospital transfers, and deaths. I wouldn't have stayed in Assisted Living this long if I couldn't, and I would just be using my Medical Assistant degree. It's just this situation is running through my mind because it's just plain bizarre.

Yes, when it comes down to it it's her right to refuse and get another worker to give them. Still, the AL unit worker is by themselves at night to make sure 22 people are ready for bed without worrying about meds.

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

And if she doesn't get them the world will not end.

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Specializes in ICU.

They have the right to refuse. Don't worry about it. People refuse certain meds all the time. It's truly not a big deal and I'm not sure why you putting any thought into it at all.

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Specializes in Family Medicine, Tele/Cardiac, Camp.

What is she taking the eyedrops for? And how often does she not get them? I would be more concerned if she was refusing them, but needed to keep her intraocular pressure down to avoid going blind from glaucoma and was missing them 5 days a week (vs only 2 nights a week) than I would if she was just taking artificial tears or something for dry eyes and missing them regularly.

I agree that it is ultimately her decision as to whether or not she wants to refuse them, and that you likely have bigger fish to fry, but I would make sure you document and let a supervising nurse or the prescriber know she isn't taking them. Especially if you work the majority of the time she is supposed to get them and they are being used for something like glaucoma.

I would also double check your facility's policy about allowing aides to give medication. There have been errors and legal issues at other facilities because staff not authorized to give meds were giving them.

Here's hoping you have better luck in the future getting her to take her drops. I had one Alzheimer's woman once who refused all meds from any of the nurses, but would take them if given to her by 1 doctor. Best of luck.

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That's just how my OCD works. Something like this that doesn't make sense makes me think way too hard. 3 months into this job and a year and 5 months into working in this field and this is the most bizarre thing I've dealt with. Don't worry about me overthinking.

As for what the drops are for, I'll check when I get to work at 11 tonight. As for our facilities policy, I will have to check with our CEO if the aide can give them, or if the techs must.

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

If you are giving eye drops you should already know what they are for.

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That's what happens when you get 3 days of training to pass meds to 50 people. I took pharmacology, but it was for typical meds prescribed in a clinic. It'll be another 2 years before I take pharmacology for the RN. So I'll just have to look them up tonight when I get to work because I don't remember what they're called.

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

If you go to give a med and you don't know what it's for you should be looking it up.

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Ignore that I ever posted this topic, please. I asked a question and got an answer I needed.

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Specializes in Family Medicine, Tele/Cardiac, Camp.
That's what happens when you get 3 days of training to pass meds to 50 people. I took pharmacology, but it was for typical meds prescribed in a clinic. It'll be another 2 years before I take pharmacology for the RN. So I'll just have to look them up tonight when I get to work because I don't remember what they're called.

I get where you're coming from re the 3 days training part. I've heard the same from other techs who pass meds. A really great free app you can get for your phone is called Epocrates. You can type in the names of medications and it will give you the brand names, what it's used for, side effects, interactions, etc. I started to use it as a floor nurse, used it all through my grad clinicals, and use it daily at my practice. I'm sure you don't have oodles of free time, but it's a great resource if you want to look something up and are allowed to keep your phone on you at work. Take care and good luck with RN school.

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