Question

An older adult states that she cannot see her medication bottles clearly to determine when to take her prescription. What should the nurse do? (Select all that apply.) a. Provide a dispensing system for each day of the week. b. Provide larger, easier-to-read labels. c. Tell the patient what is in each container. d. Have a family caregiver administer the medication. e. Use teach-back to ensure that the patient knows what medication to take and when.

Short answer

The nurse should provide a dispensing system for each day of the week (a), offer larger, easier-to-read labels (b), and use teach-back to confirm the patient understands what medication to take and when (e).

Step-by-step solution

Verify Understanding of the Issue

Ensure that you have correctly understood the patient's difficulty. The patient has trouble seeing her medication bottles clearly, which suggests a need for a solution that addresses visibility and comprehension of medication instructions.

Identify Safe Solutions

Consider solutions that can aid the patient in taking her medication correctly. Safety is paramount, so any interventions should both assist the patient in seeing the medication bottles and understanding their use.

Select Appropriate Interventions

From the options provided, select all that would directly help the patient with her stated problem without causing additional safety issues or requiring skills that the patient may lack due to her visual impairment.

Evaluate Options Against Patient Autonomy

Ensure that the solutions chosen respect the patient's autonomy and empower her to take her medications herself if this is possible and safe.

Finalize Choices

Based on steps 1 to 4, the choices that help address the patient's visual issues and support correct medication administration would be: a) Providing a dispensing system for each day of the week, b) Providing larger, easier-to-read labels, and e) Using teach-back to ensure understanding. Choices c) and d) do not empower the patient and merely replace her role in medication administration.

Key concepts

Patient Safety in Nursing

Ensuring patient safety is a fundamental aspect of nursing care and involves a proactive approach to prevent harm and promote wellness.

When an older adult patient reports difficulty in seeing medication bottles clearly, it is the nurse's responsibility to implement strategies that mitigate the risk for medication errors which could compromise patient safety. Selecting interventions such as providing a dispensing system for each day of the week can significantly reduce the chance of taking the wrong medication at the wrong time.

• This method simplifies the process and eliminates the need for the patient to decipher small print on labels.
• It also establishes a routine that can assist in remembering when to take each medication.

Larger Labels and Teach-back

Additionally, by providing larger, easier-to-read labels, the nurse is adapting the medication administration environment to the patient's needs. This tailors the approach to the individual and is a relatively simple change with major benefits for those with visual impairments.

Lastly, using the teach-back method confirms understanding and reinforces correct use.

• This technique allows the nurse to assess if the patient comprehends the instructions and can manage their medication regimen safely.
• It also serves as a way to correct any misunderstandings in a respectful and non-judgmental manner.

Visual Impairment Accommodations

Accommodations for visual impairment are necessary to ensure that patients can participate in their care and maintain independence to the greatest extent possible.

For patients who cannot see medication bottles clearly, accommodations take on a crucial role.

Customization and Assistive Tools

Customized labels with large print can greatly enhance the capacity of visually impaired patients to identify their medications safely and accurately.

• These labels can be color-coded or have distinct shapes to provide additional non-visual cues.

Moreover, implementing a dispensing system that organizes medication by each day of the week is an assistive tool that compensates for visual difficulties.

• It reduces the cognitive load on the patient and decreases the risk of medication errors.
• Such systems often come with tactile features to aid in differentiation between compartments.

Patient Autonomy in Healthcare

Patient autonomy in healthcare is the right of patients to make informed choices about their own health and care without coercion.

It is a nurse's role to respect and support this autonomy by engaging patients in their care, providing them with understandable information, and ensuring they are capable of making informed decisions regarding their treatment.

Empowering Self-Management

For a visually impaired patient, respecting autonomy means offering solutions that empower them to manage their own medications safely.

• Options like larger labels and a systematic dispenser allow patients to retain control over their medication routine.

Avoiding strategies such as having another individual take over the medication administration ensures that the patient remains actively involved in their own care.

• This approach is not only ethical but upholds their dignity and right to self-determination.
• Interventions should always be discussed and agreed upon with the patient to reflect their preferences and needs.