Below are the step-by-step instructions for setting up a Client's Medication. There is also a video demonstration at the end of this article.
The OneTouch system can accommodate clients' medication needs. Using the client, Amy Adams, let's set up a medication schedule.
Adding Medication to the Medication List
Adding Medication to the Medication List
To begin setting up medication for client Amy Adams, search for Amy on the Quick Access Client section of the Main Dashboard. A snapshot of options for the client appears. Click on the "View Profile" option:
On the left-hand navigational panel, click "Medication". From the resulting drop-down click "Medication Tracker":
Click on "Medication List" to begin adding medication.
Note the option "Create Medication Event" is beside the Medication List. The actual medicinal item(s) needs to be created via the Medication List first before a Medication event can be created - as the event needs to pull data from the Medication list.
Within the Medication List, click on "Add New Medication".
The following prompt appears.
First, type in the name of the medication. Suggested medications in line with what is being typed will appear. The blue NHS symbol beside the name refers to a live feed of information from the NHS database which gives the co-ordinator all relevant information pertaining to this medication and its administration.
Having selected a medication with the blue NHS symbol, for example, "Paracetamol for adults", a pop-up appears on the right side of the screen like below. This will remain on screen until the medication is saved in case further information is required with dosage, treatment, etc.
Secondly, enter the concentration of the medication, and the client dosage (this is optional, but recommended to be entered for reporting purposes).
Finally, enter the form of the medication (choose from the drop-down, e.g. tablet, liquid, cream), the route of the medication (choose from the drop-down, e.g. orally, subcutaneously, ventilator), the maximum dosage within 24hrs and the administration method. Users can also tick the box to advise the carer if the entered medication is a controlled medication.
A controlled medication will show as below on the medication list and tracker, with a blue shield symbol beside the name of the medication:
The above steps have just added Paracetamol, a medication that Amy needs. The next step is to schedule when the Paracetamol is administered. This is done by returning to the Medication Tracker.
Creating the Medication Event
Back at the Medication Tracker, Click "Create Medication Event":
The following prompt appears to create a Medication Event:
- Select Medication: Type the chosen medication here, it auto-suggests options from the Medication list section based on what is being typed. The ability to save the choice will not appear if what has been typed is not in the Medication list. As stated previously, when the medication has an "NHS" symbol beside it, the NHS module will appear on the right-hand side of the screen. It is to assist with ensuring the admin has the most up-to-date information regarding the medication and the guidelines around the use and dosage when setting up the selected medication in the Medication Tracker. This time, having clicked back on the pop-up, the NHS screen will go away.
- Details: Enter the details of the medication that should be included
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Select Location to Administer Medication (optional): Having clicked on this green bar, a body map will be displayed. Click on the appropriate location on the body map (if applicable) to denote where a cream should be applied. This will be represented by a yellow dot. When placing a dot, click "Add Location" after each dot placed and once finished, click "Confirm". For more information on the body map and skin assessments, see the following article: Skin Assessment Tool
- Quantity Dispensed & Finish/Review Date: Here, users can define how much medication is administered (up to three decimal places e.g. 0.075) and choose a start date for it to commence from. Users can also choose a date to review this medication schedule in order to determine if it should be continued/discontinued.
- Assign Times/Periods Medication Should Be Taken: The time field can be altered to edit the time the medicine is to be administered. If it's the case that the medication is to be taken multiple times a day, admins can click "Add Time To Schedule" to first commit the initial time set to the schedule and then repeat for the other times. You can also tick the box to say "Assign No Predicted Time" which means it can be taken at any time, or you can choose a time period by clicking "Period" and choosing Morning, Afternoon, Overnight, etc. The following is a short video demonstrating this action:
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Recurrence: Finally, determine the frequency of the medication. Setting this to "Recurring" will have the medication administered daily indefinitely. Users can also set the medication to be Single or can tick the PRN box to have it on a PRN basis. This is also demonstrated in the previous Vimeo that is linked.
For this example, a twice-daily administration of Paracetamol (two tablets) for 10 am and 6 pm that will keep recurring until a review date of 9th August will be set:
Different recurring patterns can be defined in the "Repeat Every:" area e.g. every 3 weeks on a Tuesday & Friday (if required).
Click "Save" to commit this event to Amy Adams's medication schedule.
Amy's immediate medication schedule now looks like this:
The boxes with the times set will change colour as different actions are made by the carer with the medication. Users can follow the changes using this colour guide:
Now that the client's medication has been set up, recording medication administration statuses can be done. This action will normally be carried out by the carer. To learn about how to administer medication on the Carer app - click here.