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The Nurse's Role in Medication Reconciliation - BC Patient Safety ...

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<strong>The</strong> Nurse’s <strong>Role</strong><br />

<strong>in</strong> <strong>Medication</strong><br />

<strong>Reconciliation</strong><br />

Authors<br />

Chapter 1<br />

Jennifer S. Johnson, R.N., C.M.A., charge nurse, telemetry<br />

unit; Paul Mollo, Pharm.D., director of Pharmacy;<br />

Caryl-Ann Mann<strong>in</strong>o, R.N., O.C.N., director of<br />

Professional Practice and Oncology; Susan Hiza, M.B.A.,<br />

management eng<strong>in</strong>eer; and L<strong>in</strong>da Miller, R.N., M.S.,<br />

C.N.A.A., senior vice president for Nurs<strong>in</strong>g, Our Lady of<br />

Lourdes Memorial Hospital, B<strong>in</strong>ghamton, New York<br />

By def<strong>in</strong>ition, medication means someth<strong>in</strong>g that treats the symptoms of<br />

disease and reconciliation means the act of compliance or agreement.<br />

Together these two words, medication reconciliation, represent a<br />

process by which a complete list of each patient’s current medications is<br />

obta<strong>in</strong>ed every time the patient enters the health care organization and is<br />

then communicated to subsequent providers <strong>in</strong> or out of the same health<br />

care organization. <strong>The</strong> goal of medication reconciliation is to prevent adverse<br />

drug events that could occur by allergic reactions, omissions, substitutions,<br />

and/or duplications. It is a necessary, yet simple, way of assess<strong>in</strong>g what medications<br />

patients are currently tak<strong>in</strong>g.<br />

<strong>Medication</strong> reconciliation is necessary because a patient’s medications can<br />

change at any po<strong>in</strong>t <strong>in</strong> time for any number of reasons (such as a newly diagnosed<br />

disease process, an age-related issue, an acute condition, a worsen<strong>in</strong>g<br />

chronic situation, a short-term need for antibiotics, patient alter<strong>in</strong>g medication<br />

regimens, or add<strong>in</strong>g nonprescription, herbal, or other products to their<br />

regimen, or elective or emergency surgery) and because those medications can<br />

11


<strong>The</strong> Nurse’s <strong>Role</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Medication</strong> <strong>Safety</strong><br />

precipitate one or more allergic reactions, food and drug <strong>in</strong>teractions, and/or drugdrug<br />

<strong>in</strong>teractions. <strong>Medication</strong> reconciliation is an extremely important process that<br />

needs to take place every time a patient is <strong>in</strong>volved with any health care system.<br />

<strong>The</strong>refore, medication reconciliation was clearly an excellent choice when, <strong>in</strong><br />

July 2004, Our Lady of Lourdes Memorial Hospital, Inc., B<strong>in</strong>ghamton, New York<br />

(Lourdes Hospital), was asked by Ascension Health M<strong>in</strong>istries to participate <strong>in</strong> one<br />

of the eight Priority For Action Teams, whose goal was to have no preventable<br />

deaths by July 1, 2008. <strong>Medication</strong> reconciliation was one way to achieve that goal.<br />

<strong>The</strong> Adverse Drug Event (ADE) Priority for Action (PFA) Team selected by<br />

Lourdes Hospital was to be mostly composed of direct patient care nurses from all<br />

departments (from <strong>in</strong>patient to outpatient) and management from various cl<strong>in</strong>ical<br />

and noncl<strong>in</strong>ical backgrounds, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g a pharmacist, a cl<strong>in</strong>ical nurs<strong>in</strong>g director, a<br />

physician, a management eng<strong>in</strong>eer, and the chief nurs<strong>in</strong>g officer. Dur<strong>in</strong>g the <strong>in</strong>itial<br />

team meet<strong>in</strong>gs, a crystal clear def<strong>in</strong>ition of medication reconciliation was agreed<br />

upon so that the medication reconciliation task could be implemented across the<br />

organization. (See the box below for the def<strong>in</strong>ition of medication reconciliation as<br />

well as the language for National <strong>Patient</strong> <strong>Safety</strong> Goal 8, which perta<strong>in</strong>s to medication<br />

reconciliation.)<br />

Because this particular chapter perta<strong>in</strong>s to the nurse’s role <strong>in</strong> medication reconciliation,<br />

it is presented <strong>in</strong> the nurs<strong>in</strong>g process format, where<strong>in</strong> the nurs<strong>in</strong>g assess-<br />

<strong>Medication</strong> <strong>Reconciliation</strong>: <strong>The</strong> process of compar<strong>in</strong>g a patient’s<br />

medication orders (those newly prescribed) with all the medications the<br />

patient takes (previously prescribed as well as self-prescribed, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g<br />

over-the-counter products such as herbals and supplements). 1<br />

National <strong>Patient</strong> <strong>Safety</strong> Goal 8<br />

Accurately and completely reconcile medications across the cont<strong>in</strong>uum of<br />

care.<br />

Requirement 8A: <strong>The</strong>re is a process for compar<strong>in</strong>g the patient’s<br />

current medications with those ordered for the patient while under the<br />

care of the organization.<br />

Requirement 8B: A complete list of the patient’s medications is<br />

communicated to the next provider of service when a patient is<br />

referred or transferred to another sett<strong>in</strong>g, service, practitioner, or level<br />

of care with<strong>in</strong> or outside the organization. <strong>The</strong> complete list of medications<br />

is also provided to the patient on discharge from the facility.<br />

12


Chapter 1: <strong>The</strong> Nurse’s <strong>Role</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Medication</strong> <strong>Reconciliation</strong><br />

ment leads to the diagnosis of the problem, the plann<strong>in</strong>g of the goals and outcomes<br />

is followed by the implementation of the process, and subsequent evaluation and<br />

measurement dictate the success or failure of the process.<br />

Assessment<br />

Assessment of the issues <strong>in</strong>volved with implement<strong>in</strong>g medication reconciliation by<br />

us<strong>in</strong>g a pilot unit<br />

In September 2004, the organization chose the cardiac telemetry unit as a pilot<br />

unit <strong>in</strong> which to assess and <strong>in</strong>troduce the idea and subsequent use of medication<br />

reconciliation. <strong>The</strong> first test of change for the new process <strong>in</strong>cluded the follow<strong>in</strong>g<br />

participants:<br />

• One nurse (who was a member of the ADE team)<br />

• One physician (who admitted a high number of patients to the pilot unit and<br />

would be amenable to change)<br />

• One patient (who was typical of the patient population and had an accurate list<br />

of current medications)<br />

Prior to enact<strong>in</strong>g the new process on the pilot unit, medication reconciliation<br />

was designed with the nurse, physician, and patient <strong>in</strong> m<strong>in</strong>d. In the beg<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g, the<br />

hospital system considered several factors: change theory, adult-learner theory, additional<br />

paperwork, staff<strong>in</strong>g crises, and the typically hectic, busy nature of a nurs<strong>in</strong>g<br />

unit. <strong>The</strong> nurse on the pilot unit as well as the selected physician had to be conv<strong>in</strong>ced<br />

that the benefit of medication reconciliation outweighed the burden of yet<br />

another change, more paperwork, and the potential for be<strong>in</strong>g overwhelmed. At<br />

first, the medication reconciliation process seemed complicated. Staff members perceived<br />

the additional paperwork as tedious. <strong>The</strong> nurses were naturally resistant and<br />

reluctant to embrace another change. <strong>The</strong>y needed to know that the ADE team<br />

empathized with them and the ADE team needed the support of the nurses for the<br />

process to be successful.<br />

<strong>The</strong> process was to compare the patient’s current medications with the medications<br />

that the physician ordered on admission to the hospital. That seemed simple<br />

enough; however, it was a change to the process and procedure, which created a new,<br />

time-consum<strong>in</strong>g, detailed system that was absolutely necessary (and soon would be<br />

supported by policy). Fortunately, when the organization presented the process<br />

change to nurses from the perspective of patient safety, nurses recognized its importance.<br />

After the test of change on the pilot unit by the core <strong>in</strong>dividuals <strong>in</strong>volved was<br />

successful, the idea was to spread the change. Nurses were beg<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g to <strong>in</strong>corporate<br />

and streaml<strong>in</strong>e medication reconciliation. <strong>The</strong> first test of change identified issues<br />

that the health care team had not considered, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g the follow<strong>in</strong>g:<br />

13


<strong>The</strong> Nurse’s <strong>Role</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Medication</strong> <strong>Safety</strong><br />

• Nurses had to ask patients for lists of their current medications, which often<br />

were <strong>in</strong>complete.<br />

• Physicians had to order new medications that were pert<strong>in</strong>ent to the hospital<br />

diagnosis as well as to the patient’s current medication unless there was a duplication<br />

or an <strong>in</strong>teraction.<br />

• Pharmacists had to evaluate all the medications ordered for food and drug <strong>in</strong>teractions<br />

and drug-drug <strong>in</strong>teractions.<br />

• Nurses were go<strong>in</strong>g to ask local pharmacies for pert<strong>in</strong>ent <strong>in</strong>formation regard<strong>in</strong>g<br />

patient’s medications over the telephone.<br />

• Family members would be <strong>in</strong>volved to reconcile a patient’s current medication.<br />

<strong>The</strong> goal was to first make medication reconciliation on admission successful<br />

on the pilot unit and then to spread the process to the emergency department<br />

(ED), then to the rema<strong>in</strong>der of <strong>in</strong>patient nurs<strong>in</strong>g units, followed by the outpatient<br />

areas, the off-site areas, and eventually on discharge from a hospital.<br />

Diagnosis<br />

Discussion of the current and potential problems for the patient and the nurse<br />

When the Lourdes Hospital system first <strong>in</strong>troduced medication reconciliation,<br />

it was to <strong>in</strong>clude one nurse, one physician, and one patient. It was successful on the<br />

pilot unit because of the nature of the unit and the staff work<strong>in</strong>g on the unit,<br />

which <strong>in</strong>cluded the follow<strong>in</strong>g:<br />

• An extremely dynamic cardiac telemetry unit where change is a daily th<strong>in</strong>g<br />

• Nurses who knew their unit is often chosen for some project or test of change<br />

• A cardiologist whose patient population consisted of people with geriatric and<br />

cardiac issues who were tak<strong>in</strong>g several medications<br />

<strong>The</strong> hospital system <strong>in</strong>itially chose the pilot unit for two reasons: One, a key<br />

member of the ADE team was a charge nurse on that unit, and two, that unit had<br />

(and still has) a highly collaborative relationship with the ED because of the number<br />

of admissions that occur on a daily basis. It only made sense to engage the ED<br />

next. And what a challenge it was. It took several revisions of the medication reconciliation<br />

process to meet the needs of the nurse, physician, and patient who entered<br />

the ED because patients seen belong to several categories, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g the follow<strong>in</strong>g:<br />

• Those who are assessed, treated, and released with<strong>in</strong> an hour<br />

• Those who are assessed, treated, and released after some observation<br />

• Those who are assessed, treated, and admitted<br />

<strong>Patient</strong>s from all walks of life enter the ED: those with disabilities and those<br />

result<strong>in</strong>g from disasters, those with little or no familial or f<strong>in</strong>ancial support, those<br />

from nurs<strong>in</strong>g homes, and those who are homeless—all of whom need to have their<br />

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Chapter 1: <strong>The</strong> Nurse’s <strong>Role</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Medication</strong> <strong>Reconciliation</strong><br />

medications reconciled when enter<strong>in</strong>g the ED.<br />

Very early <strong>in</strong> the formation of the ADE PFA team, a key component to the<br />

success of this diligent process was to have an energetic, persuasive ED nurse who<br />

regularly attends team meet<strong>in</strong>gs and who could drive change. She served not only<br />

as a resource person for the team but as a champion of medication reconciliation<br />

because she believed it to be an important patient safety issue. When presented to<br />

the ED, medication reconciliation was met with the predictable physician and<br />

nurse resistance because it was perceived as time consum<strong>in</strong>g and difficult.<br />

At first, the ED nurses and physicians resisted hav<strong>in</strong>g to bear the burden of yet<br />

another change and the possibility for more paperwork. (And, yes, the process was<br />

time consum<strong>in</strong>g and difficult to accomplish, <strong>in</strong> the beg<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g.) When the test of<br />

change was spread to the ED, it was done on the first day by the one persuasive<br />

nurse team member with one optimistic physician and one patient with a simple<br />

diagnosis and few medications. <strong>The</strong> ADE PFA team was this nurse’s committee (all<br />

nurses participate <strong>in</strong> committee membership at Lourdes Hospital) and her colleagues<br />

knew this. She believed <strong>in</strong> the importance of and accepted the challenge of<br />

medication reconciliation <strong>in</strong> the ED. Like anyth<strong>in</strong>g that is repeated, the process<br />

became less complex with each new patient who came to the ED. And, if Lourdes<br />

Hospital’s PFA was patient safety, then it needed to be done 100% of the time.<br />

That was the explanation this nurse team member had to repeat several times a day<br />

until her colleagues were conv<strong>in</strong>ced that medication reconciliation was the right<br />

th<strong>in</strong>g to do (and until it would soon be supported by policy).<br />

One complication specific to the ED sett<strong>in</strong>g was the fact that patients’ medication<br />

<strong>in</strong>formation could be difficult to obta<strong>in</strong>. At times, the patient had more than<br />

one physician <strong>in</strong> the community. Some patients could not even beg<strong>in</strong> to report<br />

what medications they took, when they had taken them, or why. <strong>Patient</strong>s from<br />

nurs<strong>in</strong>g homes had their medication lists but those lists were quite extensive. Still<br />

other patients had detailed lists of medications and could reiterate exactly when<br />

they took their last dose—medication reconciliation for those patients was relatively<br />

easy. In addition to the patients themselves, the nurses found they could rely on<br />

different sources of <strong>in</strong>formation to obta<strong>in</strong> accurate medication lists for their<br />

patients (for example, family members, local pharmacies, old charts, histories and<br />

physicals, and sometimes even the medication conta<strong>in</strong>er labels).<br />

After the pilot unit and the ED adopted the process and after the ADE team<br />

provided <strong>in</strong>tensive education for the nurses, pharmacists, and physicians, the<br />

process was very quickly spread to all <strong>in</strong>patient and outpatient areas, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g<br />

diagnostic imag<strong>in</strong>g, perioperative services, ambulatory surgery, the GI laboratory,<br />

off-site physician offices, hospice, and home care. Essentially, the hospital system<br />

15


<strong>The</strong> Nurse’s <strong>Role</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Medication</strong> <strong>Safety</strong><br />

implemented medication reconciliation from admission to discharge to avoid any<br />

confusion with nurs<strong>in</strong>g and physician documentation, especially because documentation,<br />

by its nature, is ever-chang<strong>in</strong>g. National <strong>Patient</strong> <strong>Safety</strong> Goal 8 was reiterated<br />

throughout the organization. <strong>The</strong> words medication reconciliation were <strong>in</strong>corporated<br />

<strong>in</strong>to most meet<strong>in</strong>g agendas and discussed <strong>in</strong> most conversations.<br />

Plann<strong>in</strong>g<br />

Statement of the specific goals, action plans, and outcomes for patient safety<br />

National <strong>Patient</strong> <strong>Safety</strong> Goal 8 def<strong>in</strong>es the purpose of medication reconciliation,<br />

which is to avoid errors of transcription, omission, duplication of therapy, and<br />

drug-drug and drug-disease <strong>in</strong>teractions. <strong>The</strong> Jo<strong>in</strong>t Commission answers the question<br />

as to who is supposed to complete the medication reconciliation process <strong>in</strong> its<br />

Frequently Asked Questions, which are posted on its Web site. 2 Accord<strong>in</strong>g to the<br />

Jo<strong>in</strong>t Commission, there are the follow<strong>in</strong>g two models:<br />

1. <strong>The</strong> physician completes the medication reconciliation process when he or she<br />

writes the orders.<br />

2. <strong>The</strong> pharmacist or nurse completes the medication reconciliation process before<br />

prepar<strong>in</strong>g or adm<strong>in</strong>ister<strong>in</strong>g the medications, and then notifies physicians if any<br />

concerns arise.<br />

<strong>The</strong> team decided that throughout the Lourdes Hospital system every nurse<br />

will ask each one of his or her patients, on admission to the patient care unit, for a<br />

list of the medications they are currently tak<strong>in</strong>g and will fill out a medication reconciliation<br />

form accord<strong>in</strong>gly, with a “good faith effort to obta<strong>in</strong> as complete a list<br />

as possible, with<strong>in</strong> 24 hours or less.” 1 Besides the actual medication, the nurses will<br />

<strong>in</strong>clude the follow<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>formation: dose, route, frequency, reasons for tak<strong>in</strong>g the<br />

medication, and the time of the last dose taken.<br />

Creat<strong>in</strong>g the <strong>Medication</strong> <strong>Reconciliation</strong> Form<br />

<strong>The</strong> hospital system designed the medication reconciliation form to be used<br />

as a physician order form. (See the <strong>Medication</strong> <strong>Reconciliation</strong>/Physician Initial<br />

<strong>Medication</strong> Order Form <strong>in</strong> Figure 1-1 on page 17.) After the physician <strong>in</strong>dicates<br />

whether he or she wants the same medications to be cont<strong>in</strong>ued or stopped, or if<br />

the medications have been ordered by the physician elsewhere on previous order<br />

sheets, the form can be used as an official physician order form. In addition, the<br />

form conta<strong>in</strong>s language that <strong>in</strong>dicates how to use the form and that<br />

“herbals/naturals and supplements will not be dispensed to <strong>in</strong>patients.” It references<br />

Lourdes Hospital’s <strong>Patient</strong> Care Services Policy #29, which states that “all<br />

products not regulated by the Food and Drug Adm<strong>in</strong>istration (for example,<br />

16


Chapter 1: <strong>The</strong> Nurse’s <strong>Role</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Medication</strong> <strong>Reconciliation</strong><br />

herbal/natural products) will not be made available to hospital patients.” A multidiscipl<strong>in</strong>ary<br />

team made this decision to prevent adverse drug events, and the<br />

director of the pharmacy and the Lourdes Hospital <strong>Patient</strong> Care Services Policy<br />

Figure 1-1: <strong>Medication</strong> <strong>Reconciliation</strong>/Physician Initial <strong>Medication</strong> Form<br />

NKA, no known allergies; US, unit secretary; RN, nurse; MD, physician; Pt, patient.<br />

17


<strong>The</strong> Nurse’s <strong>Role</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Medication</strong> <strong>Safety</strong><br />

and Procedure Committee approved the form <strong>in</strong> October 2005.<br />

To promote safe decision mak<strong>in</strong>g, the form <strong>in</strong>cluded <strong>in</strong>formation on allergies<br />

and <strong>in</strong>tolerances, height, and weight for all patients. Check boxes <strong>in</strong>dicated where<br />

nurses could or would obta<strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong>formation to complete the form (for example, the<br />

patient, their medication list, the family, the outpatient pharmacy). For the form to<br />

be used as a physician order form, the licensed <strong>in</strong>dependent practitioner with prescription<br />

privileges was required to sign and date it. Only then was the hospital<br />

pharmacist authorized to prepare the medications for the nurses to adm<strong>in</strong>ister.<br />

Every patient who entered the hospital’s portals, for any reason, was to have the<br />

medication reconciliation form <strong>in</strong>itiated and completed <strong>in</strong> 24 hours or less.<br />

From the ADE team’s perspective, the process sounded very simple and<br />

straightforward. But after several tests of change on the pilot unit, the team found<br />

it necessary to accommodate the nurses and physicians who were actually go<strong>in</strong>g to<br />

use this form on an hourly basis. Suggestions for change came fast and furiously<br />

from the staff, and each week for many weeks the form was changed. <strong>The</strong> ADE<br />

team cont<strong>in</strong>ually readjusted, rearranged, reconfigured, reconsidered, redesigned,<br />

reformatted, and revised the form to meet the safety needs of the patients and staff<br />

members.<br />

Creat<strong>in</strong>g a Master <strong>Medication</strong> List<br />

As the need for medication reconciliation spread throughout the organization,<br />

the team determ<strong>in</strong>ed that nurses and physicians car<strong>in</strong>g for outpatients (<strong>in</strong> the primary<br />

care network) needed access to a form with a design similar to the medication<br />

reconciliation form to easily transfer medication <strong>in</strong>formation if those patients were<br />

admitted to the hospital. <strong>The</strong> hospital system charged a small task force of nurses<br />

with design<strong>in</strong>g the Master <strong>Medication</strong> List that primary care physicians and their<br />

nurses could use each and every time a patient came for an office visit. This form<br />

facilitates the “process of look<strong>in</strong>g at the list when new medications are ordered and<br />

updat<strong>in</strong>g the list to reflect any changes <strong>in</strong> the medication regimen.” 1 And nurses<br />

can keep one copy of the list <strong>in</strong> the patient’s chart, record any changes to the<br />

patient’s record and the patient’s copy, and return the list to the patient. (See Figure<br />

1-2 on page 19 for the Master <strong>Medication</strong> List.) To <strong>in</strong>crease physician compliance,<br />

task force members emphasized the benefits to staff nurses and physicians over and<br />

over aga<strong>in</strong>, which <strong>in</strong>clude the follow<strong>in</strong>g:<br />

• If the medications are listed, the physician only has to circle or check the same<br />

medications and/or add new ones.<br />

• <strong>The</strong> physician or nurse does not have to handwrite the very long list of their<br />

patient’s medications <strong>in</strong> the chart or at each visit.<br />

18


Chapter 1: <strong>The</strong> Nurse’s <strong>Role</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Medication</strong> <strong>Reconciliation</strong><br />

• <strong>The</strong>re will be fewer transcription errors.<br />

• <strong>The</strong> nurse and the patient can discuss exactly what medications are still prescribed<br />

and what medications are no longer necessary.<br />

Figure 1-2: Master <strong>Medication</strong> List<br />

DOB, date of birth; MD, physician.<br />

19


<strong>The</strong> Nurse’s <strong>Role</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Medication</strong> <strong>Safety</strong><br />

• If and when the patient ever needs to be hospitalized, the updated medication<br />

list from the primary care chart can be used with ease as the medication reconciliation/physician<br />

<strong>in</strong>itial medication order form <strong>in</strong> the hospital chart. <strong>The</strong> only<br />

items required will be the physician signature, date, and time at the bottom of<br />

the list, and they can be <strong>in</strong>cluded <strong>in</strong> the admission paperwork as medications<br />

reconciled and medications ordered, thus sav<strong>in</strong>g time and steps and ensur<strong>in</strong>g<br />

each patient’s medication safety.<br />

Creat<strong>in</strong>g <strong>Medication</strong> Cards for <strong>Patient</strong>s<br />

While one task force of nurses was formatt<strong>in</strong>g the Master <strong>Medication</strong> List,<br />

another small task force of nurses from the primary care network was design<strong>in</strong>g a<br />

medication card for patients. <strong>The</strong> hospital system trialed several tests of change <strong>in</strong><br />

one outpatient sett<strong>in</strong>g. Once aga<strong>in</strong>, it was necessary to enlist the help of a multidiscipl<strong>in</strong>ary<br />

team composed of nurses, physicians, and patients (who were go<strong>in</strong>g to be<br />

us<strong>in</strong>g this medication card). Not only did the medication card list the patient’s<br />

demographics and the primary care physician’s name and telephone number, it conta<strong>in</strong>ed<br />

a section for the patient’s brief medical history, a place to denote<br />

allergies/<strong>in</strong>tolerances, and a grid <strong>in</strong> which to list current medications (<strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g<br />

herbals and supplements and over-the-counter drugs) that the patient was currently<br />

tak<strong>in</strong>g. <strong>The</strong> grid also <strong>in</strong>cluded a place to list the dose (by simply ask<strong>in</strong>g, “How<br />

much?”), the route, the frequency (by ask<strong>in</strong>g, “How often?”), and the reason why.<br />

(<strong>The</strong> language used was basic to facilitate teach<strong>in</strong>g and learn<strong>in</strong>g.) This grid on the<br />

patient’s medication card was designed exactly like the columns on the <strong>in</strong>patient<br />

medication reconciliation form. Soon, all patients who entered the outpatient arena<br />

would be given <strong>in</strong>structions on how to fill out their medication cards. <strong>The</strong>y were<br />

also <strong>in</strong>structed to br<strong>in</strong>g these cards with them each time they had an office visit so<br />

that their medication lists could and would be updated, ensur<strong>in</strong>g their safety. (See<br />

the medication card for patients <strong>in</strong> Figure 1-3 on pages 21–22.)<br />

For those patients who have not received a medication card from the outpatient<br />

sett<strong>in</strong>g, a blank card is <strong>in</strong>cluded <strong>in</strong> the paperwork for all patients who are<br />

admitted and discharged from the hospital. Often nurses on these units assist<br />

patients or their families with fill<strong>in</strong>g out the medication cards. Nurses encourage<br />

patients to update their medication cards at discharge. <strong>The</strong> Lourdes system has<br />

found that it only takes a few moments for a nurse to teach a patient about the<br />

importance of the right drug, dose, route, and the reason for their medications. At<br />

the same time, nurses can give medication-<strong>in</strong>formation teach<strong>in</strong>g sheets to patients<br />

and their family members. <strong>The</strong>se sheets describe any new medication <strong>in</strong>itiated as<br />

well as dosage, adm<strong>in</strong>istration, side effects, and contra<strong>in</strong>dications. This is not a new<br />

20


Chapter 1: <strong>The</strong> Nurse’s <strong>Role</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Medication</strong> <strong>Reconciliation</strong><br />

Figure 1-3: <strong>Medication</strong> Card for <strong>Patient</strong>s<br />

Cont<strong>in</strong>ued on next page<br />

21


<strong>The</strong> Nurse’s <strong>Role</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Medication</strong> <strong>Safety</strong><br />

22<br />

Figure 1-3: <strong>Medication</strong> Card for <strong>Patient</strong>s (cont<strong>in</strong>ued)


Chapter 1: <strong>The</strong> Nurse’s <strong>Role</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Medication</strong> <strong>Reconciliation</strong><br />

practice because pharmacies across the nation are compelled to provide medication<strong>in</strong>formation<br />

teach<strong>in</strong>g sheets for any drug that is dispensed.<br />

<strong>Medication</strong> <strong>Reconciliation</strong> <strong>in</strong> Home Care and<br />

Hospice<br />

Another area of concern for appropriate medication reconciliation was with<strong>in</strong><br />

home care and hospice. To ascerta<strong>in</strong> that every patient <strong>in</strong> the system would have<br />

their medications reconciled, Lourdes’s home care agency, Lourdes at Home (LAH),<br />

and the Lourdes Hospice Program were <strong>in</strong>cluded <strong>in</strong> the medication reconciliation<br />

process. LAH nurses reconciled their patients’ medications us<strong>in</strong>g a slightly different<br />

form (see Figure 1-4 on page 24). Every s<strong>in</strong>gle time an LAH nurse entered a<br />

patient’s home, the nurse reconciled medications <strong>in</strong> the follow<strong>in</strong>g ways:<br />

• By discussion with the patient or the family<br />

• By the discharge paperwork from the hospital<br />

• With any new prescriptions filled or unfilled<br />

• From the actual medication bottles <strong>in</strong> the home<br />

• By call<strong>in</strong>g the patient’s primary care physician or local pharmacy<br />

<strong>The</strong>se nurse home care visits created several opportunities for teach<strong>in</strong>g and<br />

learn<strong>in</strong>g, while at the same time ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g patient safety as a top priority.<br />

Similarly, Lourdes Hospice nurses relied mostly on families for the medication<br />

reconciliation, as well as on the primary care physician and local pharmacy. <strong>The</strong><br />

hospice forms are simpler, but two strong statements at the bottom of the forms<br />

alert the patient to disclose any and all medications—<strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g herbals, supplements,<br />

and vitam<strong>in</strong>s—they are currently tak<strong>in</strong>g so that any possible <strong>in</strong>teractions<br />

could be discussed. (See the hospice care forms <strong>in</strong> Figures 1-5 on pages 26–27 and<br />

Figure 1-6 on pages 28–29.)<br />

Implementation<br />

Includ<strong>in</strong>g tasks <strong>in</strong> the process and document<strong>in</strong>g observations<br />

Now that the medication reconciliation forms were somewhat f<strong>in</strong>alized—across<br />

the system—it was time to implement the process from the po<strong>in</strong>t of entry to the<br />

po<strong>in</strong>t of exit.<br />

On the <strong>in</strong>patient side of the hospital system, each patient’s current medication<br />

list is computer generated every night at midnight. <strong>The</strong> nurses’ medication adm<strong>in</strong>istration<br />

records (MARs) for their patients are also computer generated every night<br />

at midnight. Dur<strong>in</strong>g the day shift, patients (or their family members if patients are<br />

unable to comprehend it) receive their current medication list. <strong>The</strong> patient copy of<br />

the list (entitled “Postop/Transfer <strong>Medication</strong> <strong>Reconciliation</strong> Record”) is similar <strong>in</strong><br />

23


<strong>The</strong> Nurse’s <strong>Role</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Medication</strong> <strong>Safety</strong><br />

24


<strong>The</strong> Nurse’s <strong>Role</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Medication</strong> <strong>Safety</strong><br />

26<br />

Figure 1-5: Hospice <strong>Medication</strong> Flow Sheet As-Needed <strong>Medication</strong>s


Chapter 1: <strong>The</strong> Nurse’s <strong>Role</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Medication</strong> <strong>Reconciliation</strong><br />

Figure 1-5: Hospice <strong>Medication</strong> Flow Sheet As-Needed <strong>Medication</strong>s (cont<strong>in</strong>ued)<br />

27


<strong>The</strong> Nurse’s <strong>Role</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Medication</strong> <strong>Safety</strong><br />

28<br />

Figure 1-6: Hospice <strong>Medication</strong> Flow Sheet Rout<strong>in</strong>e <strong>Medication</strong>s


Chapter 1: <strong>The</strong> Nurse’s <strong>Role</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Medication</strong> <strong>Reconciliation</strong><br />

Figure 1-6: Hospice <strong>Medication</strong> Flow Sheet Rout<strong>in</strong>e <strong>Medication</strong>s (cont<strong>in</strong>ued)<br />

29


<strong>The</strong> Nurse’s <strong>Role</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Medication</strong> <strong>Safety</strong><br />

30<br />

assessed and <strong>in</strong>itially treated, the primary nurse <strong>in</strong> the ED asks for her current list<br />

of medications. <strong>The</strong> patient produces a Lourdes Hospital medication card from her<br />

wallet that conta<strong>in</strong>s an up-to-date list of her medications, the doses <strong>in</strong> milligrams,<br />

the times she takes them, and why. Her primary care physician’s name and telephone<br />

number and an emergency contact and telephone number are also on the<br />

card, as well as a brief summary of her health history, her allergies, and a list of<br />

questions to ask about herself. Because she is alert and oriented and has been <strong>in</strong>itially<br />

treated for dyspnea, the patient is able to tell the ED nurse exactly what<br />

medication she has already taken today and what medication she still needs. This<br />

<strong>in</strong>formation is then put on the medication reconciliation form that stays with her<br />

chart for the entire hospitalization. When her admitt<strong>in</strong>g physician arrives to evaluate<br />

the patient, he can use this form (by simply circl<strong>in</strong>g the appropriate words) to<br />

cont<strong>in</strong>ue the same medications and/or stop other medications and/or order new<br />

medications. By sign<strong>in</strong>g the medication reconciliation form at the bottom, the<br />

medication reconciliation form becomes a physician <strong>in</strong>itial medication order form<br />

and is faxed to the pharmacy. At this time, the pharmacy is authorized to prepare<br />

the medications for the nurses to adm<strong>in</strong>ister. <strong>The</strong> ED nurse gives a face-to-face<br />

report to the receiv<strong>in</strong>g nurse on the telemetry unit together with all that he/she<br />

knows about this patient, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g the medication reconciliation <strong>in</strong>formation. By<br />

the time the patient arrives on the telemetry unit, her current medications have<br />

been ordered and reconciled, the MAR has been pr<strong>in</strong>ted, and the medications that<br />

the patient did not already take today are ready to be adm<strong>in</strong>istered. If there are<br />

any new medications ordered or current medications stopped, the nurse can <strong>in</strong>corporate<br />

this <strong>in</strong>formation <strong>in</strong>to the <strong>in</strong>itial plan of care.<br />

Example 2: A woman <strong>in</strong> her forties is brought <strong>in</strong>to the ED by paramedics because<br />

she was found wander<strong>in</strong>g a residential neighborhood at 3:00 A.M. She knows who<br />

she is and knows that yesterday was her birthday. She says she was “celebrat<strong>in</strong>g”<br />

and her blood alcohol content on arrival was 0.29%. After she is assessed and<br />

treated, the ED nurse attempts to ask her about her health history. <strong>The</strong> patient<br />

cont<strong>in</strong>ues to alternate between doz<strong>in</strong>g off and repeat<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>comprehensible words.<br />

<strong>The</strong> ED physician decides to admit the patient. <strong>The</strong> ED nurse cannot possibly<br />

complete the medication reconciliation form, there are no family members present,<br />

and the hospital pharmacy is closed because a 24-hour pharmacy does not exist at<br />

Lourdes Hospital yet. Any retail pharmacy would also be closed at this time of<br />

night and the hospitalist assigned to this admission does not know the patient at<br />

all. When giv<strong>in</strong>g the report to the receiv<strong>in</strong>g unit, the ED nurse apologizes for the


Chapter 1: <strong>The</strong> Nurse’s <strong>Role</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Medication</strong> <strong>Reconciliation</strong><br />

<strong>in</strong>complete medication reconciliation form and asks the receiv<strong>in</strong>g nurse to make a<br />

“good faith effort” <strong>in</strong> the morn<strong>in</strong>g toward reconcil<strong>in</strong>g this patient’s medications.<br />

<strong>The</strong> next morn<strong>in</strong>g, the patient is more coherent and is questioned about any and<br />

all medications that she may have been tak<strong>in</strong>g prior to her admission to the hospital.<br />

At this time, the patient is able to state to her nurse what she takes but does<br />

not know the doses and she cannot remember anyth<strong>in</strong>g about the day before. She<br />

uses a local pharmacy and has given the nurse permission to contact the pharmacy<br />

to obta<strong>in</strong> the medications and doses she takes. <strong>The</strong> nurse on the medical unit to<br />

which the patient is assigned places a call to the pharmacy, and identifies herself<br />

and the reason for her call. <strong>The</strong> local pharmacist asks for the patient’s demographics<br />

and then gives the nurse the requested <strong>in</strong>formation as to her patient’s medications<br />

and dosages. <strong>The</strong> nurse now places a call to the patient’s physician to request<br />

the current medications and appropriate dosages for the patient. (She is tak<strong>in</strong>g escitalopram<br />

oxalate, metoprolol, ciprofloxac<strong>in</strong>, a nicot<strong>in</strong>e patch, and ibuprofen.) Her<br />

medications are reconciled and she is started back on her same drug regimen except<br />

for the over-the-counter ibuprofen. (To prevent any potential gastric reflux or<br />

ulcers, the ibuprofen was discont<strong>in</strong>ued and pantoprazole sodium was ordered, as<br />

well as folic acid, thiam<strong>in</strong>e, vitam<strong>in</strong>s, and diazepam to move her safely through<br />

alcohol withdrawal.)<br />

<strong>The</strong>se two examples are at opposite ends of the spectrum when consider<strong>in</strong>g<br />

medication reconciliation, but, as stated previously, it is the primary goal of keep<strong>in</strong>g<br />

patients safe that compels nurses to cont<strong>in</strong>ue toward complet<strong>in</strong>g the medication<br />

reconciliation process, regardless of how difficult this is to accomplish, at every portal<br />

of the system. Most of the time, medication reconciliation is successful because<br />

of the <strong>in</strong>itial steps the nurses take. <strong>The</strong>re has been remarkable success <strong>in</strong> reduc<strong>in</strong>g<br />

adverse drug events with the <strong>in</strong>corporation of medication reconciliation at Lourdes<br />

Hospital as evidenced by the evaluation and measurement described below.<br />

Evaluation and Measurement<br />

Note success or failure across the system and adopt, amend, or abandon<br />

By August 2005, the goal of medication reconciliation (to reduce nonreconciled<br />

medications to


<strong>The</strong> Nurse’s <strong>Role</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Medication</strong> <strong>Safety</strong><br />

tics above, medication reconciliation is a process that is performed, primarily by<br />

nurses, with success.<br />

<strong>The</strong> goal for 2007 is to susta<strong>in</strong> improvement <strong>in</strong> the percentage of nonreconciled<br />

medications on admission to


Chapter 1: <strong>The</strong> Nurse’s <strong>Role</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Medication</strong> <strong>Reconciliation</strong><br />

• <strong>The</strong> trusted nurse-patient relationship yields improved outcomes and a plan of<br />

care that can be <strong>in</strong>stituted when medication reconciliation and subsequent medication<br />

safety prevail.<br />

• Nurses are usually the first caregivers whom patients see when enter<strong>in</strong>g a health<br />

care system. <strong>Medication</strong> reconciliation as well as patient teach<strong>in</strong>g takes place at<br />

this time.<br />

• Nurses are usually the last caregivers whom patients see when exit<strong>in</strong>g a health<br />

care system. <strong>Medication</strong> reconciliation as well as patient teach<strong>in</strong>g takes place at<br />

this time.<br />

• Nurses may use any and all resources to make a good faith effort to ensure that a<br />

patient’s medications are reconciled appropriately. <strong>The</strong>ir perseverance is necessary<br />

at this juncture.<br />

• Nurses may design and use different forms unique to their departments while<br />

stay<strong>in</strong>g with<strong>in</strong> the guidel<strong>in</strong>es of medication reconciliation. <strong>The</strong>ir creativity is<br />

helpful at this juncture.<br />

• Nurses perform chart reviews and serve on committees where data is gathered<br />

and where suggestions for changes to the medication reconciliation process are<br />

welcomed.<br />

Look<strong>in</strong>g to the Future<br />

<strong>The</strong> future design <strong>in</strong>cludes us<strong>in</strong>g the electronic medical record to record the<br />

patient’s medication history, height, weight, and allergies, with alerts to all members<br />

of the health care team if any of this <strong>in</strong>formation is unavailable. <strong>The</strong> pharmacist<br />

will receive alerts for potential allergic reactions, drug-drug <strong>in</strong>teractions, and drugfood<br />

<strong>in</strong>teractions, as well as alerts based on laboratory results or other patient <strong>in</strong>formation.<br />

<strong>The</strong> system will alert caregivers when medications are scheduled to be<br />

given and will document medication adm<strong>in</strong>istration <strong>in</strong> the electronic medication<br />

adm<strong>in</strong>istration record. <strong>The</strong>se capabilities will also support computerized provider<br />

order entry.<br />

References<br />

1. Miller L., Mann<strong>in</strong>o C.A.: Tak<strong>in</strong>g the Lead <strong>in</strong> <strong>Medication</strong> <strong>Reconciliation</strong>. <strong>The</strong> Cerner<br />

Quarterly 2(2):40–47, 2006.<br />

2. <strong>The</strong> Jo<strong>in</strong>t Commission: FAQ’s for the 2006 National <strong>Patient</strong> <strong>Safety</strong> Goals. http://www.jo<strong>in</strong>t<br />

commission.org/NR/rdonlyres/7C116D6D-AE82-449E-BA45-1DE49D2A0A34/<br />

0/06_npsg_faq.pdf (accessed Jan. 22, 2006; site now discont<strong>in</strong>ued).<br />

33

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