The Importance of Medication Administration Training at Senior Care Facilities

It’s safe to assume that most of the residents at your senior care facility are on some sort of medication. Although some residents may want to handle medications themselves, others may need assistance, due to cognitive or physical impairments. Medication administration training will keep your residents safe while reducing liability.

Polypharmacy Among Seniors

The CDC says 88.6% of adults aged 65 and above take prescription medications. Polypharmacy – taking two or more medications – is also common: among U.S. adults between the ages of 60 and 79, the CDC says 34.5% take five or more prescriptions.

Managing so many medications is often complicated. Seniors experiencing memory impairments, declining cognitive function, or physical issues like shaking hands may be unable to manage on their own. As a result, senior care facilities are often tasked with medication administration.

How Medication Administration May Go Wrong

Incorrect administration of medications may lead to severe consequences. Residents may suffer worsening health conditions because they don’t receive the medications they need, which could cause irreparable harm and even death. Medication mix-ups may also lead to dangerous side effects.

• Incorrect dosage. Too much or too little of a medication may have dire results.
• Wrong medication. Mixing up prescriptions means residents don’t receive the medications they need. They might have dangerous reactions to the medications they’re not supposed to be taking. Medication errors may also occur if the pharmacy sends the wrong medication, and the staff do not notice.
• Skipped or delayed administration. It’s important to take many medications on a strict schedule. Straying too far from this could reduce the efficacy.
• Failure to follow instructions. Some medications need to be taken with food; others need to be taken on an empty stomach. Failure to follow the instructions could make the medicine less effective or contribute to side effects.
• Less than optimal timing. Confer with healthcare providers to ensure medications are administered during optimal times of day to reduce risk. For example, meds that cause drowsiness should be administered at night to avoid falls, while diuretics that cause frequent urination should be given earlier in the day to avoid frequent night visits to the bathroom.
• Improper storage. Medications stored improperly may degrade or lose potency. Some medications simply need storing in a room temperature location away from direct sunlight (such as in a cupboard), while others need refrigerating. In addition to following the instructions for proper storage, it’s also important to keep medications secure to avoid tampering and theft.
• Ignoring negative reactions. Residents may have serious reactions to medications. The risk increases when multiple prescriptions interact or when there are errors in administration. Senior care staff should stay alert for problems such as dizziness, breathing difficulties, or hives and seek medical care as needed.

According to KSL TV, the family of a 75-year-old woman filed a lawsuit against the assisted living facility where she was a resident, alleging that the facility caused her death by giving her the wrong medication. The lawsuit claims that the pharmacy mistakenly sent the wrong medication and the facility staff administered it – even though it was for a condition the resident did not have – and continued to administer it even as the resident’s condition worsened.

As another example, WBAY says a senior living facility is facing a wrongful death lawsuit that alleges negligent care and treatment. The facility previously received 20 violations for various problems, including failure to administer required medication.

How to Train Your Staff

To keep your residents safe and avoid lawsuits, your staff needs to know how to administer medications safely.

• Create strict policies and procedures. These guidelines should cover everything from how you store medications and who has access to them to how and when you administer them as well as how to verify information, the importance of reading prescriptions carefully, and what to do if you observe discrepancies or harmful effects.
• Provide training. Staff need to be versed on all the procedures and why these are critical. Staff should also know how to verify the “five rights” of medication administration – right patient, right drug, right time, right dosage, right route – to prevent errors. Training is necessary when hiring new workers and when procedures change. Refreshers may also be necessary occasionally, especially if there have been issues – even if those issues didn’t lead to injuries.
• Maintain documentation. Keeping logs of medication administration helps senior care facilities note any concerning trends, such as if a resident is feeling unwell after medication or refusing medication. Logs also provide evidence that you were following best practices if there is ever a claim. PCH Mutual members have access to free documentation software, CareChron, with an eMAR feature.
• Seek medical advice when in doubt. For example, if a resident is experiencing negative side effects or refusing medication or there’s any reason to think the medication or its dosage is wrong, contact the pharmacist or provider for assistance. In the case of a severe reaction, seek immediate medical care.
• Keep up with relevant regulations. All medication administration practices should adhere to relevant federal, state, and local regulations, which may stipulate who can administer medications, what is secure storage, and how to maintain documentation. Since regulations are subject to change, it’s important to keep up with any updates.
• Monitor compliance. Don’t just assume everything is fine because you haven’t had any serious problems yet. Check documentation, monitor administration practices, and issue reminders to staff. If you notice any inconsistencies, you should provide more training.

Medication administration training is an important part of keeping your residents safe and healthy. It may also help your resident care facility avoid lawsuits – but there’s still chance a lawsuit may occur. In this case, you’ll need residential care home insurance. Tangram provides RCFE liability insurance through the Personal Care & Assisted Living Insurance Center (PCALIC). Learn more.