Tips for Nurses to Manage their Day Efficiently: From Setting Realistic Goals to Using Electronic Medication Administration Record

Nurses are required to work in fast-paced environments with tight deadlines and perpetually changing priorities. To improve the quality of work, maintain flexibility and manage stress, time management is crucial. The benefits of time management include greater productivity, better opportunities for advancement, stress reduction, and improved efficiency. Time management skills can also help achieve long-term career goals. Here are a few tips for you as a nurse to manage your time efficiently:

Stay organised: Maintaining an organised workspace will automatically help you with effective time management. An organised workspace can be helpful in accessing medical documents and patient records.
Create and maintain a routine: Following a routine can help you finish the same tasks in a stipulated time period. Creating a routine will help you plan ahead leading to better performance, and better focus allowing you to take on your daily duties efficiently. Although your daily routine is likely to be the same every day, at the start of the shift reviewing what needs to be done can give you a good start.
Arrive early: Being a nurse requires you to always be on your toes, you never know when you are needed. Therefore, showing up early can be beneficial at times. Arriving early can help you prepare for your shift ahead of time, saving you time and unnecessary trips to other departments for little things.
Seek help: Healthcare is a team effort. If you’re working in pairs or a team with healthcare workers or interns, allocate tasks appropriate to the skill level that will allow you to complete what you need to while also supervising. If you need additional help, seek advice from your nurse manager or supervisor.
Set your priorities: It is important to know which tasks are important and needs to be tackled first. This also puts to test your decision-making abilities. Before your shift, look at your schedule and rearrange your tasks accordingly. You can also cluster similar tasks to optimise your time in one area. However, make sure you are able to attend to all your patients throughout your shift.
Take scheduled breaks: Nursing can be a very demanding job and it can be physically and mentally difficult. Therefore, it is advisable to take scheduled breaks. Go for a walk, eat snacks, talk to a friend, listen to music, or practice meditation.
Limit distractions: You need to limit your distractions to ensure proper focus on your task and its completion. You can try keeping your phone away or on silent mode to avoid personal communications during work hours. Only check it during breaks. Communicate with patients and their family members and answer all their questions before you administer any medication. This allows you to keep your attention on your task. It is also advisable to complete all your administrative work in a quiet environment so you can maintain your notes properly.
Use electronic medication administration: If you are responsible for medication administration and your facility is using electronic medication administration, get eMAR chart training to maintain medication administration records efficiently. The electronic medication administration software informs you of all medications to be given in an organised manner, improves communication between you and the pharmacy, and reduces the opportunity for medication errors. You can also attend training sessions on time management, self-care, and personal development.

Qualities Nurse Managers Need to Possess to Keep Staff Motivated

Nurse managers play a crucial role in nursing homes as they are responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the department. To effectively lead and manage their staff, nurse managers must possess a variety of qualities that enable them to keep their staff motivated and engaged. If you are a nurse manager or want to take up management roles, here are some of the qualities that you must develop to keep your staff motivated:

Effective communication skills: Communication skills are important for you to clearly and effectively communicate with your staff, as well as with other healthcare professionals and patients. This includes the ability to listen actively, provide feedback, and to be responsive to the needs of their staff.
Feedback skills: Offering constructive feedback can help your staff know what they are good at and what are the areas they need to improve. Acknowledge your staff’s work and praise them so as to keep up their spirit. Feedback, in forms of both appreciation and criticism can be a powerful tool for progress. It helps keep an optimistic approach to their job and further improvement in services.
Good organisation skills: You should possess good organisational skills to effectively plan and coordinate the work of your staff. You should also be able to plan and implement systems and procedures that streamline processes and improve efficiency. This is important as it helps to create a positive work environment that is important for the morale of the staff.
Delegation skills: Delegation skills are crucial for you. You must be able to effectively delegate tasks to your staff and empower them to take on more responsibilities. You need to delegate tasks to the staff based on their skills. This will not only ensure proper distribution of duties, but also keep your staff focused and content.
Critical thinking: As part of the job, you will have to make several critical last-minute decisions based on a variety of factors in the best interest of patients at your facility. As the team leader, you need to possess critical thinking skills to lead your team during times of change or emergencies.
Team building skills: It’s your job to create a cohesive and effective team by promoting collaboration, communication and trust among team members. For this, you must ensure that there’s a positive and productive work environment where everybody feels heard and everyone’s efforts are recognised.
Mentoring skills: To be a good mentor, you should allow your staff to work independently while also guiding them in every step. You need to lead your team to perform their duties of care under high standards. You are to identify the needs of your team members and the support they require to meet that standard. You must mentor your team to advance their career.
Technological awareness: Technology has revolutionised the healthcare sector. As a nurse manager, you should be aware of technological trends so that you can choose the right tools for your team to do their job more confidently. As a nursing home manager, you can implement electronic medication administration record software at your nursing home.

How does electronic medication record help your staff?

Electronic medication administration record software such as eMAR allows nursing staff to electronically document the administration of medications to residents, reducing the risk of errors and increasing efficiency. The software can also provide alerts for missed doses or potential drug interactions, and can generate reports for monitoring and analysis. The streamlined work processes at your facility will keep your staff motivated. Book a demo.

How to write good nursing notes?

Nurses who work in care homes or nursing homes write nursing progress notes to record each patient’s recovery and care. These notes include important information about the patient, such as the patient’s medical history, current symptoms and response to treatment. Nursing progress notes also serve as a record of the patient’s time spent in the facility. If you are a nurse, here are some tips on how to write good nursing notes:

1. Gather subjective evidence:

After recording the date, time and the patient’s name, you should request information from the patient. This information will be subjective and limited to the patient’s knowledge and perspective. However, it is still essential. Subjective evidence comes from the patient themselves and reflects their experiences. This can include things such as the patient’s symptoms and concerns.

2. Use a systematic approach:

Documentation is a vital part of your job as a nurse. Instead of completing your nursing notes at the end of the shift, write as you go. This will ensure that everything you document is fresh in your mind and, therefore, accurate and up-to-date. This involves describing what happened, providing a clinical/nursing assessment and explaining what was done about the situation.

3. Include the important information and nothing else:

When it comes to nursing progress notes, the goal is to strike a balance between being detailed and concise. However, it’s important to include only necessary information that will make the progress notes more difficult to read. Always ask yourself why you include certain details when writing your progress notes. Are they part of a clinical analysis or change in conditions or care?

4. Record your assessment:

Record notes about the patient’s condition based on the conclusions you draw from the patient’s symptoms. Your assessment should include the medication administered and the patient’s response. Try to notice changes in the patient’s appearance and record them as accurately as possible.

5. Use professional and matter-of-fact language:

It is important to use professional, matter-of-fact language in progress notes for a variety of reasons.

Progress notes are often read by fellow nurses.
The patient and his or her loved ones may also read the notes.

6. Be careful with your handwriting:

Paper-based nursing charts are still in use in many care homes and it is important to be careful with both your handwriting. When you are making nursing notes, you must ensure that your handwriting is legible. If nobody can read your notes, they will fail to serve the purpose for which they are being maintained. Moreover, illegible handwriting will lead to confusion which can cause medical errors.

7. Use standardised abbreviations:

Write out complete terms whenever possible. An abbreviation can mean different things to n different people. Only use standardised and pre-approved abbreviations.

8. Detail a care plan:

The care plan is one of the most important sections of a nursing progress note. This is where you and the doctor detail the course of action you plan to take for the patient’s benefit. For example, if the patient has an upcoming tes,, you could mention it in the progress note. If the patient has refused to take the test, that must also be documented.

Many nursing homes in the UK are using different types of electronic health record systems to maintain digital records. Electronic MAR is an Electronic Medicine Administration Record System that can help streamline medication documentation and administration. Digital MAR Sheet template works as an app on Android smartphones and tablets.

If your care home or nursing home is using an eMAR, make sure you receive eMAR chart training so that you know all its features that will make your daily paperwork efficient. Here’s a useful read on the benefits of eMAR.

FAQs on digital medical records and eMAR

Digital medical records are becoming increasingly important in healthcare settings. They provide a complete and up-to-date record of a patient’s medical history including medications prescribed, allergies and test results at the point of care. This information is essential for making informed decisions about a patient’s care. In addition, digital medical records can be accessed from anywhere, making it easy for caregivers to share information with each other and with specialists.

Here we discuss some FAQs on digital medical records:

Question: 1 What are digital medical records?

Many hospitals, care homes and respite homes use digital records to better manage care for patients and residents. A digital medical record includes important information about a patient or a resident, such as:

Gender and age
Medical problems
Height and weight
Medical test results (such as X-rays and lab tests)
Mental health issues (such as depression or anxiety)
Medication prescribed
Allergies
Billing and insurance

Question 2: What are the advantages of digital medical records?

Digital medical records offer a myriad of benefits. Some of them include:

They give updated and complete medical information about patients and residents
Caregivers, doctors and nurses get quick access to the records. It helps them provide a more coordinated and effective care
Safe documentation
Safe prescribing
Reduced paperwork
Patient data remains safe and secure
Patient data can be easily shared across the spectrum of care – nurses, doctors, caregivers, and other clinicians can access the information quickly and take an informed decision
With easy access to right information, physicians can effectively diagnose patients and residents, reduce medical errors, and provide better care
Improves communication between the care providers and patients and residents
Helping care providers, nurses and physicians improve productivity and work-life balance

Question 2: What is eMAR? Does it offer the benefits of digital medical records?

Electronic MAR (eMAR) is a software that not only offers caregivers important patient information but also helps the care home streamline medication administration:

Some of the features of eMAR include:

Medical records: With eMAR, digital medical records of patients can be maintained, allowing nurses, doctors and caregivers to access important medical information quickly.
Alerts: With alerts, the caregiver would be reminded when a dosage is due and given all the necessary information regarding the patient and the medication.
Audits: eMAR helps caregivers prepare monthly-end reports with ease. It allows the caregivers to send the requests for restocking to the patients.
Notes: eMAR creates digital records of all medication notes. This can help to ensure accuracy.
Reporting: Reporting is one of the most important parts of running a care home. But, paper-based reporting consumes a lot of time. With eMAR, reports can be prepared quickly and easily.

Question 3: How does eMAR help care home staff work efficiently?

Here are some benefits of using eMAR:

Improved workflow: eMAR helps in managing medication such as documenting administration and transcribing prescriptions.
Enhanced access to view: eMAR provides enhanced access to view by creating centralised electronic medication administration records. This makes it easy for caregivers to efficiently perform peer-to-peer reviewing.
Compatible and reliable app: eMAR is compatible with both android mobile and tablets. The user interface is simple and easy to use, so caregivers can quickly get started with documenting medication records.
Similar to conventional paper-based MAR sheets: The templates of the eMAR system look similar to paper-based MAR sheets, so new care home staff members don’t have to spend much time to learn using the system. You can train your care staff on our system in 10 minutes. Book a demo today and learn how your care home can streamline medication management at your facility.

Question 4: Other than care homes, where else can eMAR be used?

eMAR can be used in a number of settings, including assisted living facilities, learning disability care homes, nursing homes, and dementia care facilities.

Question 5: How does eMAR help in reducing medication errors?

eMAR system gives caregivers access to critical information such as the identification of the patient, the dose, the name of the medicine, and the route of administration. By having this information readily available, caregivers are less likely to make mistakes when it comes to administering medications. In addition, reminders can be set on eMAR software. This way, caregivers will receive a notification whenever the medication is due. This will help to ensure that every dose is received.

Tips for patient charting

Accurate patient charting is an important part of a nurse’s job. Through nursing charts, nurses communicate important information to the entire healthcare team. A patient chart is also a legal document that includes details about medications administered, treatment provided and procedures performed. If you are a nurse, you should take the time to accurately fill the patient chart. Here are some tips for patient charting:

1. Over-chart than under-chart:

The golden rule in nursing is: if it’s not in the chart, it didn’t happen. This may seem like common sense, but you would be surprised how often you forget to document key details. Remember, your chart is a legal document that can be used in court of law if necessary. Charting slip-ups happen when you leave details such as:

Current (or recent) medications
Pre-existing medical conditions
All aspects of a patient’s treatment, with timestamps
Any known drug allergies
Medications that have been administered
Adverse reactions to a drug, even minor ones
Discontinuation of a medication or treatment

2. Chart for others-not just yourself:

As a nurse, you play a vital role in ensuring that patients receive the best possible care. Part of that care involves providing detailed and accurate documentation so that other nurses can pick up where you left off. When writing your notes, be sure to include all relevant information, such as the parent’s current condition, medications, and any changes in their condition since you last saw them.

Ask yourself the below questions to figure out how your charting should look:

Are the notes too vague?
Do the notes seem subjective?
Is the handwriting illegible?
Are the abbreviations unclear?

Note: Always use standard medical terminology. By using standardised terminology, you can ensure that the correct information is being conveyed to other team members. Non-standardised terminology can be misconstrued and can lead to medication errors.

3. Don’t include your opinion:

It is important for you to remember that your medical records are not the place for your opinions. Instead, you should always chart objectively, recording only the facts of the patient’s condition.

4. Chart in real-time (within reason):

In the chaotic world of healthcare, it can be difficult to find time to document a detailed patient account. It is a good idea to make notes in a patient chart otherwise you may forget some key details.

5. Use eMAR nursing chart:

Many nursing homes in the UK are using eMAR nursing chart or top EMR systems to standardise patient’s medical history, medication documentation and promote concise charting. Using the eMAR nursing chart, you can follow a streamlined and systematic way of medication documentation and administration. If your nursing home has switched to eMAR nursing chart, here are some features you should know about:

Audits: With an eMAR nursing chart, you can easily prepare monthly, quarterly and annual reports. This helps to ensure that the nursing home is meeting all the government guidelines.
Alerts: The software sends you notifications when the dosage is due. This ensures that no dosage is missed and that patients receive their medications on time.
Pharmacy integration: eMAR charts can be integrated with the pharmacy, which makes restocking medication inventory very easy.
Notes: eMAR nursing chart makes it easy for you to prepare notes and record them. This helps to ensure that all important information is documented and easily accessible.

For more details about the eMAR nursing chart contact us.

Useful insights on filling MAR charts

In care homes, Medication Administration Record (MAR) charts are used for documenting medications prescribed to residents. MAR charts include important information such as:

Name of the resident
Time and dates the medication is to be taken
Names of the medications prescribed
Dosage of the medication
Initials of the person administering the medication

As a new caregiver, you have to follow important guidelines while filling out the MAR chart medication sheets. We have curated a few useful insights on filling MAR charts to help you.

1. Organise well: Write down the information from the prescription in an organized way. If you are using paper-based MAR charts, make sure that your handwriting is legible. All prescriptions should contain:

Name of the resident
Prescription date
Date of birth of the resident
Prescribed medications
Dose of medication
Instructions for taking the medication
Number of pills or number of days that the medications are to be taken
Refills (if applicable)

2. Pay close attention:

As a new caregiver, one of the most important responsibilities is to ensure what prescriptions state and how you transcribe them onto the MAR chart medication sheets. If you are unsure of any instructions on the prescription, ask the doctor who prescribed the medication or pharmacy for clarification.

3. Understand basic abbreviations:

When transcribing prescriptions to MAR chart medication sheets, make sure that you understand basic abbreviations and write them accurately. Some common abbreviations are “mg” for milligrams, micrograms (mcg), or grams (g).

4. Understand when to administer the medication:

You should administer the medicine at the same time each day and at intervals that are appropriately spaced apart. If you have any questions about when or how to administer medication, be sure to ask the prescribing doctor.

5. Follow the 8Rs of medication administration:

You should follow the 8 rights of medication administration such as the right medication, right resident, right route, right dose, right documentation, right time, right to refuse, and right response. Following the 8 rights of medication administration leads to better resident safety.

6. Stay with the resident:

Stay with the resident until the medication is taken and make sure that it is swallowed (if orally given). You cannot document that medication was taken unless you see that it was swallowed or taken (as applicable).

7. Give medications only from containers:

When giving medication to a resident, always check the container to make sure that it is properly labeled. For prescription drugs, this means checking that the pharmacy label is intact and includes all the necessary information. For over-the-counter drugs, make sure that the manufacturer’s label is intact and includes all the relevant information. This may seem like a small step, but it is essential for ensuring that the resident receives the correct medication in the correct dose.

Though many care homes in the UK have started using Electronic MAR charts. There are still many care homes that use printable MARs. With printable MARs, clerical errors and poor handwriting can cause confusion which can lead to medication errors. Different features of Electronic MAR charts make it easy to fill charts easily and access information quickly. Using Electronic MAR charts, you can also set alerts so that you do not miss any medication. If your care home has already started using Electronic MAR charts, make sure that you attend the training and understand all the features.

For the new nurses, check out these useful insights on nursing and medication

When working in a fast-paced environment, nurses often have to think on their feet while consistently delivering an exceptional level of resident care. If you are a new nurse looking for ways to achieve the best health and well-being outcomes for your residents, here are some useful insights on nursing and medication:

1. Be compassionate:

Compassion is a vital factor in resident care. It is more than simply providing quality medical treatment – it also means taking residents’ emotions into consideration and treating them well. This requires developing a relationship with the resident that is built on empathy and understanding. You must be aware of the current situation and how it might be affecting the residents emotionally. They may be stressed, anxious, upset or in pain and it is important to respond with kindness and offer clinical and emotional support.

2. Take time to communicate effectively:

As a nurse, you must practise good communication skills to understand the resident’s concerns. Here are some tips to communicate effectively with residents:

Encourage patients to communicate by asking open questions.
Use the resident’s first name or name of choice when addressing.
Speak in clear sentences. Avoid medical jargon.
Maintain eye contact and nod your head knowing what the resident is saying.
Use body language that conveys openness.

3. Follow the 8Rs of medication administration:

It is essential that you are aware of the importance of administering medication correctly. In a busy environment, it can be easy to make mistakes if the proper procedures are not followed. Follow the “8 rights” of medication administration to ensure that medication is properly administered.

4. Pay attention to each resident:

As a nurse, it is essential to be able to assess each resident’s individual needs and have the confidence to safely provide care. This also means you should possess the ability to assess each individual resident’s needs and recognise when and to whom to refer the resident if necessary.

5. Be committed:

As a nurse, it is important to be committed to high-quality resident care and continuous self-development. New research and trends in healthcare are always emerging and it is essential to be able to adapt to these changes to provide the best possible care for residents.

For instance, if you work in a care home that has switched to electronic MAR charts make sure that you do not skip the training. Electronic MAR charts will help you to ensure medication is administered reliably.

With eMAR, you can access resident information in a fraction of the time and use correct information to administer medication. Knowing how to use the features of electronic MAR charts such as making monthly reports and taking notes can reduce paperwork. This way more quality time will be spent with residents. Using eMAR, you can set alerts so that you do not miss any medication. MAR chart medication trainingcan help you to use the software to do your work more efficiently.

Useful insights on managing medicines in your care home

All care homes require medication management systems, processes and policies in place to help caregivers manage medication safely to achieve the best outcomes for their residents. If you are a care home manager planning to streamline medication management at your facility, here are some useful insights on managing medicines in your care home:

1. Have a system in place:

Accurate and efficient medication management procedures ensure that medicines are administered safely and correctly. Your care home staff must know about the 8 rights of medication administration and follow them without fail. Also, they have to be aware of the changes that are needed to be done as per the situation. For instance, what should be done in case a resident experiences side effects from a medicine.

2. Train caregivers to go beyond the basics:

Besides verifying medication order, caregivers should be trained to take extra care, especially when there are some changes. Caregivers must be trained to

To check the resident’s medical record for any allergies when a new medication is prescribed. If an allergy exists, the practitioner must be notified.
Prepare medications for one resident at a time to avoid confusion and reduce errors.
Reconcile the medications of residents at each care transition. This will help to reduce the risk of medication errors, including dosing errors, duplications, omissions and drug interactions.

3. Create no-disturb zone for medicine administration or preparation activities:

Caregivers must have all the required supplies available before starting any medication administration or preparation activities. Many care homes follow the practice of using a ‘No Disturb Zone.’ A no-disturb zone is a quiet area where caregivers can carry out medication tasks without interruption. Caregivers should follow the care home’s facility’s policy on the use of the no-disturb zone.

Note: If your care home uses mobile devices or walkie-talkies, the caregiver on medication rounds should transfer the calls/notifications to another team member.

4. Streamline medication management system using eMAR:

As a care home manager, it is important to always look for ways to improve the efficiency of medication administration processes. One way to do this is by using different types of electronic health record systems. For medication management, electronic MAR system is the most efficient software. The software can automate administrative tasks associated with medication management. The system has alert features to ensure that no medicine dosage is missed. With eMAR, you and your caregiving staff can audit MAR sheets without having to go through piles of paper. As the software records all medication notes and provides proof at the time of review. You can promote a culture of accountability and responsibility in your care home using an electronic MAR system. To know more about the electronic MAR system, book a free demo.

5. Integrate your eMAR with pharmacy:

Caregivers have to take care of the inventory and send the pharmacy requirement for the supply.. Integrating the software with the pharmacy can allow your caregiving staff to send inventory requirements on a real-time basis. This will ensure that your care home is not short of medicines that are needed.

6. Storing medicine safely:

Make sure that all the medicines are stored in an organised manner so that you don’t have to waste time looking for them. All the medicines must be stored in a lockable trolley or cupboard.

7. Disposing of medicines safely:

The safe disposal of medication is essential in any care home setting. Expired, damaged, unsuitable for intended use, no longer required/wanted or excess medicines should be disposed of properly. The process for disposing of medicines should be well-documented and should be made available to all caregiving staff.

How to be a successful nurse manager?

If you want to take on a leadership role as a nurse manager, you need more than clinical skills. You need organisational, time management and communication skills to take on new responsibilities such as planning, budgeting, staff relations and quality improvement. Here we share with you some tips to become a successful nurse manager:

1. Keep communication open and honest:

As a nurse manager, you have to ensure that there is a smooth flow of information between different departments and nurses. Miscommunication or lack of proper communication can lead to low morale and lack of job satisfaction among staff members.

As a nurse manager, you act as a bridge between the nursing staff and the management. You must communicate the vision and mission of the management to the nursing staff so that they feel that they are part of the organisation. At the same time, you must take feedback from staff so that they feel heard and their inputs can help streamline processes. While you are offering feedback to your staff, you must:

Ensure that your body language is positive
Pay attention to details
Avoid negative messages
Ensure that there is no ambiguity

2. Encourage professional development:

As a nurse manager, you are in a unique position to invest in the professional development of your nurses. By offering learning and training opportunities, you can show your nurses that they are valued members of the team and that their career growth is a priority. Additionally, investing in the professional development of your nurses can help to improve patient care and outcomes at your facility.

For instance, if your facility has residents with learning disabilities, organise a training programme for nurses on how they can communicate well with them.

3. Be a mentor:

As a nurse manager, it is important that you mentor junior nurses. There are several steps you can take to ensure that your staff is getting the most out of your experience:

Make yourself available to answer their questions and concerns
Provide opportunities for nurses to shadow experienced practitioners
Create an environment that values collaboration and feedback

4. Balance business needs and quality care:

Being a nurse manager requires you to wear many hats. In addition to providing direct patient care, you will have to juggle numerous administrative tasks. This can be a challenge, but it is one that can be overcome with careful planning and attention to detail.

You must be able to schedule staffing in such a way that provides the highest quality of care for your patients. This means taking into account the skills and experience of your staff members, as well as the specific needs of each patient.
You must also be prepared to coach staff members who are not meeting the standards set forth by the governing body for patient care.
You must be willing to make adjustments to your administrative plan as needed to accommodate ad hoc tasks.

5. Promote positivity at the workplace:

You have to set the tone for the staff by leading by example and displaying a cheerful and positive attitude. This positivity allows the staff to perform better and enjoy working together. Also, recognising individual staff members for their exceptional performance can keep them motivated and driven. This can go a long way in improving staff morale.

6. Leverage technology:

Technology plays a crucial role in streamlining the work of care homes. From digital health records to online charting, new technologies are making it easier for care homes to provide quality care. By making patient information available electronically, nurses can quickly and easily access the data they need to provide care. As a nursing home manager, you can implement eMAR chart at your nursing home.

Electronic MAR charts and medication

The electronic MAR chart can help automate many administrative tasks associated with medication management, freeing up nurses’ time to provide patient care. By utilising this technology, nurses can

Set alerts so that there’s no missed dose
Take notes (there’s no confusion because of illegible handwriting)
Make weekly, monthly and quarterly reports with ease

7. Use eMAR for better supervision:

As a new nurse manager, you can use the eMAR chart to supervise medication management processes at your facility. You can set alerts on the software in case nurses forget to administer a dose, you will receive notifications. Also, in case a medication error occurs, you can use an eMAR chart to identify at what stage did the mistake occur. All of these can help in ensuring better accountability among nurses. To know how the eMAR chartmedication system can help your care home, book a demo today

How to respond to a medication error? Useful insights for caregiver supervisors

A medication error is a preventable event that can cause patient harm. Medication errors can occur at any stage of the medication-use process, from prescribing to dispensing to administration. Such errors can have serious consequences ranging from minor side effects to near-fatal health problems.

Common types of medication errors include:

Some of the common types of medication errors:

Giving the wrong dose
Giving medications that are not prescribed
Administering medication through the wrong route

While it is essential to take all the required steps to ensure that there are no medication errors, medication errors do occur. As a caregiver supervisor, it is your duty to ensure that medication errors are investigated properly so that similar errors do not occur again and you can ensure better care for your residents:

Here are some insights on how to respond to a medication error:

1. Know the extent of the problem:

If you suspect that a resident has been administered medication incorrectly, your first priority should be to contact a doctor. However, it is also important to gather all the relevant information before making the call. This way, you will be able to give the doctor a clear picture of the situation and help him/her make an informed decision for the resident.

2. Identify what led to the medication errors:

As a caregiver supervisor, it is important to be proactive in discussing medication errors with your caregiving staff. By doing so, you can better understand the root cause of the error and provide answers to any questions the residents or the residents’ families may have. This will also demonstrate to patients and their families that your care home’s investigation has been thorough.

3. Report it to authorities concerned:

If a medication error has occurred and the resident has come to any harm as a result, it is important to consider whether the threshold for reporting the incident has been met. In general, an incident should be reported if it has resulted in serious injury or prolonged hospitalisation.

4. Investigate further and review systems:

In the wake of a significant error, it is important to take steps to prevent its recurrence. One way to do this is to carry out a formal root cause analysis. This process can help to identify underlying problems that may have contributed to the incident. Once these problems have been identified, corrective action can be taken to mitigate the risk of a repeat occurrence. In addition to conducting a root cause analysis, it is also important to inform residents of the steps that are being taken to prevent future incidents. This transparency will reassure residents that their healthis a priority for your care home.

How can eMAR help your care home reduce medication errors?

Many care homes in the UK are using the top EMR system to ensure that digital medical records, including medical and treatment history, are maintained properly and updated regularly. Also, many are using eMAR to follow the best medication management practices at their care homes. Using eMAR not only eliminates hassles associated with paperwork but it has many features that help in reducing medication errors. eMAR sends alerts to care home staff when drugs are due — this means no doses are missed. It also allows caregiving staff to take notes and make monthly reports, making their daily work easy. This can streamline medication administration processes and help in reducing medication errors. To know eMAR can help you care home, book a demo today.

How to be mindful during a long night shift? Useful insights for caregivers

Caregivers who work the night shift face a unique set of challenges. Not only do they have to contend with the usual difficulties of providing care, but they also have to deal with the side effects of working at night which can make it difficult to focus. For the safety of the residents, it is essential that caregivers stay alert and mindful during a long shift. Here we share some useful insights for caregivers on being mindful during a long shift:

1. What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness is an approach that caregivers can cultivate by paying attention to their thoughts and feelings and thus being more present in the moment. It’s common for the mind to wander off into past experiences or future worries. When caregivers are aware that their minds have wandered, they can use mindfulness techniques to bring attention back to the present moment.

2. How can mindfulness benefit caregivers?

Here are some ways how mindfulness can be beneficial for caregivers:

Mindfulness exercises and techniques can help caregivers develop skills to manage stress
Mindfulness can help caregivers increase their overall attention and focus
Mindfulness can help caregivers experience work satisfaction and reduced job burnout

3. How can caregivers inculcate mindfulness?

Here are some ways that caregivers can practice mindfulness:

Take on one task at a time: It is not uncommon for caregivers to find themselves having to juggle multiple tasks at once. While it may seem like an efficient way to get things done, multitasking has been proven to decrease productivity. Furthermore, multitasking can lead to distractions, which can make it even more difficult to get things done.
Use scheduled breaks: Working long hours is easy and night shifts can be tough on the body and mind. To stay alert and in good form, caregivers must make sure to get enough sleep before they get to work. Caregivers must use their scheduled breaks to relax. Going for a walk and getting some fresh air, listening to music and catching up with a friend over the phone are some ways caregivers can focus on things other than work at that moment.
Focus on breathing: It’s easy for caregivers to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of everyday life and forget to slow down. However, taking a moment to breathe deeply can help them shift their perception. There are many mobile apps that short guided mindful sessions. Caregivers can spend 2 to 3 minutes of their breaks on mindful breathing.
Make plans after work: It is important that caregivers end their shifts with something to look forward to. This is why planning things outside of work is important. They can pick up a hobby or schedule dinners with friends after work so that they can take some mental time off.
Say no interruptions during medication rounds: Interruptions can be a major source of errors during medication administration. Caregivers can ask their supervisors to not assign any other responsibilities when they are on medication rounds. They can even request ‘do not disturb’ vests so that they are not interrupted by other colleagues. The area where medications are prepared should be quiet and free of distractions.

In care homes, a lot of time is spent on medication administration and documentation. That is why it is important to streamline the processes to reduce medication errors. Many care homes in the UK are switching to Electronic MAR chart medication. It reduces paperwork, ensures better compliance with documentation requirements and better coordination between caregiving staff members. Caregivers can set alerts to ensure that no dose is missed. Electronic MAR chart medication can be used for making weekly, monthly and quarterly reports for audits.

Good medical record keeping practices

As a caregiver, you know how medical records play a significant role in providing quality care to residents. Properly-maintained medical records help you communicate with healthcare providers, schedule appointments and manage medications. As a caregiver, one of your most important responsibilities is to ensure that medical records are well-maintained. Here we discuss some good medical record keeping practices to help you:

1. All the important details should be there:

Taking comprehensive notes is an important principle of good record keeping. When you are filling in medical reports, check whether the key pieces of information are included or not. Some of the important details that a medical record should have are:

Relevant clinical findings
Clinical decisions and action taken
Medication prescribed, discontinued or dosage changed
Who is making the record and when

2. Records must be clear, legible and accurate:

Incomprehensible and illegible writing leads to confusion which can negatively affect the care standard. While you are writing on paper MAR charts, take time to write legibly so that it is easily understood by your other colleagues. Medical records should also be:

Accurate: Accuracy is especially important with treatments and medications. A misplaced decimal point can also lead to wrong dosage. For example, if a patient is supposed to take 1.0 milligrams of medication, but the record says to take 10 milligrams, this could lead to adverse drug events.
Specific: The medical record has to explain how medicines are to be taken (orally, topically, or through other routes). It should be specific and there should be no room for ambiguity.
Use only standard abbreviations: As a caregiver you may be tempted to use your own abbreviations to write fast. But what good is that medical record to other healthcare workers if they don’t understand the meaning of your abbreviations? Use only standard abbreviations that are commonly used and understood.

3. Changes must be recorded carefully:

Whenever a change is made to a medical record, it should be signed and dated by you. Additionally, when information is corrected, the original entry should be made illegible by drawing a single line through it. This helps to ensure that everyone who has access to the documents has a complete and accurate picture of the patient’s medical history.

4. It should have the medication list:

It is important for every patient in care homes to have a medical binder. This binder should include a list of all past and current medications, as well as any medications or supplements that are taken on a regular basis. For each medication, it is important to document the dosage, the start date, drug name and side effects that have been experienced.

5. Organise medical records

Many care homes are using top EMR systems to digitise the medical records of their residents. Since the software can document a resident’s health information over an extended period, it helps doctors, nurses, caregivers and other medical professionals to make better-informed treatment decisions. If your care home uses common EMR systems, ask your supervisor to make sure you get adequate training.

In the UK, many care homes are using electronic MAR to streamline medication management. Here are some benefits of using eMAR

Easy access to residents’ medication information: With just a few clicks, you can have access to entire information about residents’ medication. You don’t have to go through piles of paper to access information. You and your supervisor can access information on a real-time basis without being physically present in one place. This allows instant collaboration.
Alert feature ensures that no dose is missed: You can set alerts on the eMAR so that you don’t inadvertently forget to administer medication to any resident.
Increased accountability: Paper-based MAR charts leave room for a lot of human errors and confusion. In eMAR, changes made by different caregivers are recorded and there is no need for finger-pointing.

Reduced paperwork: Monthly reports are an important part of compliance. But going through each paper manually to prepare a report can be time-consuming. With eMAR, you can prepare detailed monthly, quarterly and yearly reports without much hassle.

To know more benefits of using eMAR, here’s a useful read.