Medication teaching plan example

NURSING PRACTICE & SKILL

Author Zeena Engelke, RN, MS

Cinahl Information Systems, Glendale, CA

Reviewers Alysia Gilreath-Osoff, RN, BSN, CEN,

SANE Cinahl Information Systems, Glendale, CA

Sara Richards, MSN, RN Cinahl Information Systems, Glendale, CA

Nursing Practice Council Glendale Adventist Medical Center,

Glendale, CA

Editor Diane Pravikoff, RN, PhD, FAAN

Cinahl Information Systems, Glendale, CA

April 13, 2018

Published by Cinahl Information Systems, a division of EBSCO Information Services. Copyright©2018, Cinahl Information Systems. All rights reserved. No part of this may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Cinahl Information Systems accepts no liability for advice or information given herein or errors/omissions in the text. It is merely intended as a general informational overview of the subject for the healthcare professional. Cinahl Information Systems, 1509 Wilson Terrace, Glendale, CA 91206

Patient Education: Home Care – Teaching Medication Self-Administration

What Is Teaching Medication Self-Administration in Home Care? › Teaching medication self-administration in home care is the process of teaching patients

to safely and independently take their prescribed medications in the home environment. Medication self-administration involves having the patient follow the five “rights” of medication administration: right patient (i.e., self), right medication, right dose, right time, and right route • What: Teaching medication self-administration in home care typically involves

educating and verifying that the patient understands –the name of the medication, its mechanism of action, and what it is used for –correct dose –correct timing of administration –correct route of administration (e.g., oral or via subcutaneous injection) and the proper

technique for self-administering the drug –potential adverse effects and potential interactions with other medication, food, and

supplements –appropriate storage –the importance of communicating information about medication that is currently being

taken to healthcare clinicians, including both prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medications

• How: A variety of teaching/learning and motivational activities (e.g., face-to-face instruction, telephone communication, written materials, computer-mediated programs) can be utilized to support patients and family members in learning about medication self-administration –Combined strategies (e.g., face-to-face communication and providing a written

pamphlet) have been shown to be more beneficial than verbal instruction only –For patients with a complex medication regimen, offering information in more than one

session allows the patient to process smaller amounts of information and avoid feeling overloaded with information

• Where: Teaching about medication self-administration in home care occurs in the home environment. In some cases, teaching might begin in an ambulatory care setting (e.g., the treating clinician’s office) or prior to discharge from the hospital or a long-term care facility –Patients should receive consistent educational information in all healthcare settings and

in the home throughout the course of patient care • Who: Patient teaching about medication self-administration in home care is provided by