do you complete an incident report if patient refuses to take medication

by Prof. Alphonso Boyle Jr. 3 min read

Reporting Patient Incidents: A Best Practices Guide - i-Sight

21 hours ago  · Patient incident reports should be completed no more than 24 to 48 hours after the incident occurred. You may even want to file the report by the end of your shift to ensure you remember all the incident’s important details. RELATED: Near Miss Reporting: Why It’s Important . The Purpose of Patient Incident Reports . Patient incident reports ... >> Go To The Portal


If they continue to refuse, document the missed dose and state the reason (individual refused), along with other relevant information if known (i.e. they indicated nausea). In addition, contact the physician under circumstances as agreed when medication was prescribed and/or implement any steps in the ISP for missed doses.

require a hospital visit” is required, consecutive medication refusals can be included in one incident report if each refusal involves the same medications. If consecutive refusals involve different medications, separate incident reports would need to be completed.Aug 22, 2014

Full Answer

What information is required to report a medication incident?

The type of information required for a medication incident is set out in the National Reporting and Learning Service’s mandatory dataset.1 Most internal reporting systems are based on this dataset and required information normally includes: Local systems may have additional fields that take into account local priorities and methods of reporting.

What should I do if a patient refuses to take medication?

If they continue to refuse, document the missed dose and state the reason (individual refused), along with other relevant information if known (i.e. they indicated nausea). In addition, contact the physician under circumstances as agreed when medication was prescribed and/or implement any steps in the ISP for missed doses.

What happens if you don’t report an incident in nursing?

Without proper documentation of the incident, there’s no way to make these important decisions effectively. As a nurse, you have a duty to report any incident about which you have firsthand knowledge. Failure to do so could lead to termination. It could also expose you to liability, especially in cases of patient injury.

Can a patient’s attorney request a copy of an incident report?

Whether a patient’s attorney can request and receive a copy of an incident report as part of the discovery process and introduce it into evidence in a malpractice lawsuit is subject to controversy. The law varies from state to state.

What do you do when a patient refuses medication?

If your patient refuses treatment or medication, your first responsibility is to make sure that he's been informed about the possible consequences of his decision in terms he can understand. If he doesn't speak or understand English well, arrange for a translator.

How do you document patient refusal?

DOCUMENTING INFORMED REFUSALdescribe the intervention offered;identify the reasons the intervention was offered;identify the potential benefits and risks of the intervention;note that the patient has been told of the risks — including possible jeopardy to life or health — in not accepting the intervention;More items...

Can you force a patient to take medication?

For the most part, adults can decline medical treatment. Doctors and medical professionals require informed consent from patients before any treatment, and without that consent, they are prohibited from forcibly administering medical care.

Can a patient refuse a prescription?

Residents have the legal right to refuse medications, and long-term care facilities need to employ a process to resolve disagreement between the health care team that recommends the medication and the resident who refuses it.

When documenting that a patient has refused treatment you should include?

Terms in this set (15)Documentation of the refusal of treatment should include: ... Informed consent upholds the ethical principle of. ... informed consent involves telling the patient: ... Signing the Notice of Privacy Protection as mandated by HIPAA is the same as signing an informed consent document for treatment.More items...

Who should you inform when a service user refuses to take prescribed medication?

If, for some reason, the person you care for is unwilling to take their medicines, talk to their GP or pharmacist. They may be able to suggest a form of the medicine that's more acceptable than tablets.

Is it a constitutional right to refuse medical treatment?

The Fourteenth Amendment provides that no State shall "deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law." The principle that a competent person has a constitutionally protected liberty interest in refusing unwanted medical treatment may be inferred from our prior decisions.

Can nurses refuse to give medications?

When there is a realistic, reasonable, and individualized evaluation by a nurse that to administer a medication to a specific patient could result in injury to or death of the patient, then the nurse must withhold the medication, promptly notify the physician or other healthcare provider who ordered the medication, ...

How do you convince a patient to take medication?

There are several ways to increase motivation to take medication as prescribed.Think about why you are taking the medication in the first place. ... Track progress in a journal. ... Take your medication at a similar time each day. ... Use a medication planner/pill box. ... Enlist family and friends to help with these strategies.

How do you document patient refusal in EMS?

Refuses to sign refusal However, you will need to insert in the refusal form that the person refused to sign and what you did to secure the person's signature on the form. Whether or not the refusal form is signed by the patient or the patient's representative, it also should be signed by you and dated.

What is the correct procedure for refusal of medication?

Patient refuses medication • Try to identify why the resident has refused the medication, their beliefs, understanding of what the medicine is for and consequences of not taking the medication. Establish if there is a pattern of refusal. Address any issues identified.

What is a patient informed refusal?

Informed refusal is an attempt to balance the provider's duty to care for patients with respect for patient autonomy and patients' right to self-determination—a balance that has been evolving over time and varies among both state statutory and case law.

What is refusal treatment?

This is a decision to refuse particular medical treatments for a time in the future when you may be unable to make such a decision. You can refuse a treatment that could potentially keep you alive (known as life-sustaining treatment).

When is an incident report required?

When a situation is significant—resulting in an injury to a person or damage to property —it’s obvious that an incident report is required. But many times, seemingly minor incidents go undocumented, exposing facilities and staff to risk. Let’s discuss three hypothetical situations.

What happens when incident reports are filled out properly?

If the incident report has been filled out properly with just the facts, there should be no reason to be concerned about how it’s used. The danger comes only when incident reports contain secondhand information, conjecture, accusations, or proposed preventive measures that do not belong in these reports.

How to write an incident report?

In determining what to include in an incident report and which details can be omitted, concentrate on the facts.#N#Describe what you saw when you arrived on the scene or what you heard that led you to believe an incident had taken place. Put secondhand information in quotation marks, whether it comes from a colleague, visitor, or patient, and clearly identify the source.# N#Include the full names of those involved and any witnesses, as well as any information you have about how, or if, they were affected .#N#Add other relevant details, such as your immediate response—calling for help, for example, and notifying the patient’s physician. Include any statement a patient makes that may help to clarify his state of mind, as well as his own contributory negligence.#N#It’s equally important to know what does not belong in an incident report.#N#Opinions, finger-pointing, and conjecture are not helpful additions to an incident report.#N#Do not:

Why is incident reporting important?

An incident report invariably makes its way to risk managers and other administrators, who review it rapidly and act quickly to change any policy or procedure that appears to be a key contributing factor to the incident. The report may also alert administration that a hospital representative should talk to a patient or family to offer assistance, an explanation, or other appropriate support. That’s an important function because such communication can be the balm that soothes the initial anger—and prevents a lawsuit.

Why is it important to file incident reports?

Filing incident reports that are factually accurate is the only way to help mitigate potentially disastrous situations arising from malpractice and other lawsuits. It’s your responsibility to record unexpected events that affect patients, colleagues, or your facility, regardless of your opinion of their importance.

What is the duty of a nurse?

As a nurse, you have a duty to report any incident about which you have firsthand knowledge. Failure to do so could lead to termination. It could also expose you to liability, especially in cases of patient injury. Protect yourself and your patients by filing incident reports anytime unexpected events occur.

Why is it important to talk to a hospital representative?

That’s an important function because such communication can be the balm that soothes the initial anger —and prevents a lawsuit.

Why do people refuse to take medication?

Why Does a Person Refuse to Take Their Medication? 1 The medication isn’t working and their illness convinces them to go off their medication. 2 Their medication is working but the side effects are intolerable. 3 Their medication is working, they’re experiencing wellness and so they think they no longer need their medication.

What to do if medication isn't working?

If the medication isn’t working, it’s time to work with a psychiatrist to find better medication that does work for the patient. In this case a loved onemight want to approach the case logically and say that without treatment, the mentally ill patient can’t get better.

Why are mental health patients noncompliant?

There are really three reasons mental illness patients are noncompliant. The medication isn’t working and their illness convinces them to go off their medication. Their medication is working but the side effects are intolerable.

Can mental illness patients take their medication?

It is an unfortunate truth that many mental illness patients won’t take their medications at one time or another. This is known as treatment noncompliance or treatment nonadherence, if you want to be a bit more politically correct. And also unfortunate is the fact that when a person with a mental illness refuses to take their medication they almost ...

Can a person with mental illness not take their medication?

And also unfortunate is the fact that when a person with a mental illness refuses to take their medication they almost inexorably get sicker. People with bipolar disorder who won’t take their medication, for example, often become manic and then wind up hurting themselves or someone else and ends up in the hospital.

What is clinical incident?

A clinical incident is an unpleasant and unplanned event that causes or can cause physical harm to a patient. These incidents are harmful in nature; they can severely harm a person or damage the property. For example—

Why is incident reporting important?

Improving patient safety is the ultimate goal of incident reporting. From enhancing safety standards to reducing medical errors, incident reporting helps create a sustainable environment for your patients. Eventually, when your hospital offers high-quality patient care, it will build a brand of goodwill.

What is an incident in healthcare?

An incident is an unfavourable event that affects patient or staff safety. The typical healthcare incidents are related to physical injuries, medical errors, equipment failure, administration, patient care, or others. In short, anything that endangers a patient’s or staff’s safety is called an incident in the medical system.

Why is reporting important in healthcare?

Reporting can also make healthcare operations more economically effective. By gathering and analyzing incident data daily, hospitals’ can keep themselves out of legal troubles. A comprehensive medical error study compared 17 Southeastern Asian countries’ medical and examined how poor reporting increases the financial burden on healthcare facilities.

What is clinical risk management?

Clinical risk management, a subset of healthcare risk management, uses incident reports as essential data points. Risk management aims to ensure the hospital administrators know their institution performance and identify addressable issues that increase their exposure.

What are near miss incidents?

#2 Near Miss Incidents 1 A nurse notices the bedrail is not up when the patient is asleep and fixes it 2 A checklist call caught an incorrect medicine dispensation before administration. 3 A patient attempts to leave the facility before discharge, but the security guard stopped him and brought him back to the ward.

How much of healthcare is wasted?

Even the World Health Organisation (WHO) has estimated that 20-40% of global healthcare spending goes waste due to poor quality of care. This poor healthcare quality leads to the death of more than 138 million patients every year. Patient safety in hospitals is in danger due to human errors and unsafe procedures.

Introduction

Often, Nurses on the Wards have to support Patients not willing to take medication for different reasons.

Who Administers Medication In Inpatients Units And What Specific Skills Are Required?

Registered Nurses who are specially trained and completed their competencies are responsible for administering medication.

What Steps Do Nurses Take To Support A Patient Refusing Medications?

It is very important for Nursing staff to prepare to approach the Patient refusing medication.

What Are The Challenges Of Patients Refusing Medication?

Challenges may include the Patient's health not improving swiftly, prescriptions might have to be changed and some medicines are expensive.

What Skills Do Nurses Require To Support A Patient Refusing Medication?

The Qualified Nurse has to adhere to NMC Guidance and Standards when administering medication at all times.

Final Thoughts

The Nurse should also offer positive feedback after the Patient has taken their medication and if they had made some request prior to medication administration, this should be facilitated for them.

What type of information is required for a medication incident?

The type of information required for a medication incident is set out in the National Reporting and Learning Service’s mandatory dataset.1 Most internal reporting systems are based on this dataset and required information normally includes:

When should medication incidents be recorded?

Medication incidents should be recorded as soon as possible after the event so that all relevant information can be obtained. Examples of reportable medication incidents are listed in Box 1.

What is the key component of safe patient care?

A key component of safe patient care is to have a strong reporting culture, in which members of staff have an active awareness of the potential for things to go wrong and where reporting incidents is openly encouraged.#N#1#N#Given the number of incidents that are believed to occur , very few are reported formally (see Figure).

What to do when medication is identified?

Take action. Take action to prevent the incident recurring . Although most incidents occur under a unique set of circumstances, when a medication incident has been identified it is often apparent that something needs to be changed urgently.

Why is it important to report incidents?

Incident reports are vital for identifying what went wrong and to allow organisations to learn from the incident and prevent similar events happening.

What is risk management in pharmacy?

Risk management forms a major part of most, if not all, pharmacists’ jobs through supporting patients with their medicines, monitoring the prescribing of medicines and supervising dispensing. Although they are often first to identify medication incidents, they can also contribute to mistakes themselves when prescribing, ...

Where does learning from incident report take place?

Learning from incident reports takes place locally and nationally. Locally, the reporting of and investigation into a medication incident highlights where systems or standard operating procedures need to improve or where written information or training should be refined.