What do I do if my client takes medications when I am not there?
Your client may have a unique situation so make sure to check in with your supervisor if you have questions.
A Few General Guidelines:
The only time you are not responsible for a client’s medications is when he/she has signed a Medication Declination Form. Very few clients have this, but it states the client will completely manage their own medications. You can still remind or encourage your client to take medications on time, but Compass is not responsible for any part of his/her medication routine.
What if my client takes medications during alone time or on a weekend trip?
Some of our clients have alarms or phone call services that assist them in taking their medications at the right time. When you come onto shift, ask the client if he/she took their medications. Also check his/her pillbox to see if the correct slot(s) is appropriately empty. Mark the day and time slot with “NS” on the Medication Tracking R
ecord. Remember, NS stands for Natural Support.
What qualifies as Natural Support?
The client may be alone, with a friend or with a family member. It is a time when Compass is not present. If the client is at a day program, you would write “D/P.”
Why write “NS” and not my initials like other medication documentation?
You only ever sign your initials when you have checked the 6 Rights of Medication Administration and observed the client taking the medications. When you sign your initials in the box for 1 tab of 20mg of Lipitor at 9am on May 5th, you are stating you ensured the client received 1 tab of 20mg of Lipitor at 9am on May 5th. Initials say you verified that specific medication. If you did not check the 6 Rights and did not observe the client because you were not there, you cannot sign your initials.