Medicines Management for Residential and Nursing Homes

Book excerpt: This practical toolkit informs readers of ways to ensure the right medication in the right dose, for the right patient at the right time. It covers every aspect of looking after and delivering medicines in the care home environment. The easy-to-read format, with questions and exercises for individuals and groups, makes the text ideal as a framework for teaching and accredited learning. This handbook is vital for care professionals working in residential and nursing homes, their managers and supervisors. It is also invaluable for trainee care and nursing assistants including students in further education. 'When inspectors said thousands of care home residents were being given the wrong medication - the image of a grotty, poorly run nursing home reared its stereotypical head. How could something so simple as giving a patient their daily dose of tablets be going so wrong, so many times over? But according to care professionals, management of residents' medication is one of the most complex areas of running a nursing home, and unless fail-safe practices are adhered to, the results can be very damaging to both the resident and the care worker. Clearly, it's time to sort this out!' - Roy Lilley and Paul Lambden with Alan Gillies, in the Introduction.