Come down and take your meds!

[jess11RN]

I have 2 middle school students that forget on a regular basis to come down to take their meds after lunch (1 is genuinely forgetting, the other seems to "forget" on purpose so they miss class).

I am getting tired of having to call them down Every. Single. Day. and sometimes I get busy too so they're getting their meds later than they should. What do you do to help remind them? I have tried to involve the teachers, who also seem to forget. This has been my worst year yet with this issue and I'm at a loss!

[nursekoll, BSN, RN]

At elementary level, I have the teacher set a daily alarm/timer on their computer or phone to remember. At middle school/HS, kids can set an alarm on their own phone for the appropriate time ( not during a class). At the high school level, I emphasize independence and the importance of kids being responsible enough to remember and I generally don't go track them down (unless diabetes meds). Maybe some reward for remembering for an entire week straight or a consequence for "forgetting" ??

[BrisketRN, BSN, RN]

I usually suggest the parents get the student a silent alarm watch (many are available for $15 or less) and set an alarm at the time the student is to come down for the med. These are also great for reminding younger students to wiggle their toes periodically if they have a leg cast.

[OldDude]

I'm on the elementary level. With the exception of morning meds, I actually "deliver" most of the rest of the daily scheduled meds. It's less stressful for me and it gets me up and moving...you know - use it or lose it?

[kidzcare]

Frustrating! I had a few chronic "forgetters" when I worked at the jr high level. I would call the teacher daily right before the class and say "When you see Snowflake, can you ask him/her if he/she has been to see me yet? And if not, send him/her to my office right away"

If it continues that the teacher and student forget, get admin involved. It is disruptive to the whole class to have to interrupt a lesson to get one student to come to the health office daily.

[JenTheSchoolRN, BSN, RN]

I have to call down MS students ALL THE TIME. Some get it and we can get with a schedule. But I have enlisted teacher help. Our students can't have cell phones, so one teacher set an alarm on her phone for me so she would reminder to let a student come down and see me. The student got so into the routine, he was asking to see me about 1 minute before the alarm went off. And now he is like clockwork!

Also, most MS student don't want me delivering meds - embarrassment city for some; however I will do it if you forget more than 2 days in a row and especially if the student doesn't visit me. That usually gets them to remember.

HS kids - they need to be independent. I'll chase a few times, but then I'll report home that I'm chasing and see if parent wants me to chase, or like I hope they are board with, me not to chase to build personal responsibility. A lot of parents actually support me in my goal to help make their child more responsible for their own health by the time they graduate. (A few, not so much. Those kids I worry about when it comes to college. But I can't always work miracles, just try to :).

[grammy1]

In Jr. High I would track them down for the first couple of weeks of school. If they still weren't coming I would notify the parent that I will no longer be chasing them down for their meds. It's not that hard to remember, as soon as I finish lunch I go to the clinic or I go to the clinic as soon as 5th period is over. It's the same every day. You can remember what class to go to, you can remember to go to the clinic. I would also notify admin. If, after all of that they still didn't come, it was documented that they refused meds.

Truthfully, after a week or two of me not chasing me down, they miraculously started to remember to come for meds.

Disclaimer: obviously, that would not be for cardiac meds. insulin, etc.

[stephrooth]

I'm on the elementary level. With the exception of morning meds, I actually "deliver" most of the rest of the daily scheduled meds. It's less stressful for me and it gets me up and moving...you know - use it or lose it?

Once in a while I "deliver" their meds to their classrooms.

[jess11RN]

Thanks everyone! I'll try the delivery method first. Maybe if they're embarrassed the nurse is chasing them down into the classroom, it will make them come down on their own!

[LikeTheDeadSea, MSN, RN]

I call parents on a 3rd day call-down. "Hey, just letting you know LD has needed to be called down the last 3 days for their medication." I've always had parents talk to the child at home and read a riot act. They remember until a long break and then get a phone call and repeat. I mention that the goal of involving a parent is that the "I've been calling you down" phone call is better than the "I didn't give LD medication today because they haven't been coming down and I got swamped and forgot." :)

[OldDude]

Just remember most of these guys are taking this medicine for "attention" issues.

Most of the teachers on my campus could benefit from a daily dose of Ritalin too.

[jess11RN]

I post this question yesterday and go figure, BOTH kids remembered to come down today all by themselves!!!

I'm sure next Monday will be a different story, but for today, I'll take it! LOL!