Managing medications for patients is an important part of a caregiver’s career. It is up to you to ensure medications are taken on time and correctly. As a caregiver, you must know the best tips and tricks for planning an effective and efficient medication routine. Not only does it keep your day running smoothly, but it also improves the quality of life for your patient. Liberty Resources Home Choices talks about the benefits of implementing medication management strategies and the best tips for managing medication.
The Benefits of Effective Medication Management Strategies
Aside from assisting with personal care and lifestyle support, one aspect of a caregiver’s job is being in charge of managing medications for clients. Some of these medications are essential in maintaining good health and a better quality of life. Some of the medications you may be in charge of include:
- Pain medications
- Injections
- Vitamins/supplements
- Over-the-counter medications
Utilizing effective medication management strategies can keep medications organized to avoid dangerous mix-ups. If patients take the wrong medication or too much of one medication, this can have dangerous consequences. You must ensure the right medications are taken promptly at their designated times. Additionally, using medication management tips can take the stress off of patients who can no longer manage their own medications. This is especially true for patients who are unable to see, hear, or have decreased hand function.
In addition, medications can be abused and taken incorrectly. As the caregiver, you’re there to make sure medications are taken properly and safely. This can decrease the likelihood of drug interactions, which is when a patient takes too many medications together, causing harmful side effects.
Tricks and Tips for Medication Management
Many tips and strategies can help to make managing medicine easier for caregivers, such as:
Collaboration with Providers and Pharmacists
To make medication management efficient and easy, you must work together with your patient, their healthcare providers, and their pharmacists. This means you should go with your patients to their doctor’s appointments. This way, the provider can explain to both you and your patient the information and instructions for each medication. This can also help you learn more about your patient’s health condition as well as the medications and what conditions they can treat. Creating and maintaining an open line of communication makes it easier to contact physicians and pharmacists with any questions and concerns.
When arriving at any of your patient’s appointments, it can be helpful to keep a list of all medications they are currently taking, including vitamins and supplements. In addition, keeping track of which medications are covered under your patient’s health insurance can take the stress off.
Monitor Refills
As a caregiver, you must ensure patients do not run out of their medication. You should monitor the number of pills left in each bottle as well as how many refills are left. As your patient runs out of refills, it’s up to you to make phone calls and schedule the necessary doctor’s appointments. Doing so promptly and before the medication runs out can avoid any issues.
Organizing Medications
If your patient is taking multiple medications at once, this can become difficult to track. Keeping them organized can avoid complications and mishaps. It can be beneficial to purchase pill organizers to keep track of pills that must be taken throughout the week and to monitor which pills have already been taken. It can also help to keep a list of medications that your patient takes and what times they should be administered. You should update this list as your patient’s physician modifies their routine following each doctor’s appointment.
Planning Medication Administration
Planning out what time of the day your patient must take certain medications can improve patient comfort and keep things organized. For example, some pills may need to be taken with food to avoid unpleasant symptoms. In this case, it can be a great idea to plan on administering pills during meal times, such as breakfast and dinner. Doing so can also keep medication management on schedule, ensuring all medications are taken at the right time. It can also be beneficial to set alarms for medications that are taken throughout the day. For example, if a medication must be administered every few hours, you can set a timer to ring after the hours are up.
Medication Management and More at Liberty Resources Home Choices
Providing comprehensive and compassionate patient care is what we do best at Liberty Resources Home Choices. Serving families across the Philadelphia metro area, we are here for those that need us most. To learn more about medication management and other caregiver strategies, contact us today.