🧠 ATRIA MEDICATION TRAINING — FINAL MASTER NOTES

🏥 1. MEDICATION PROGRAM (CORE RULES)

🎯 Your Role (Med Tech):

👉 Offer → Observe → Document → Report

• Offer meds at scheduled time

• Watch resident take them

• Document in eMAR

• Report anything wrong

🚨 MAIN GOALS:

• Prevent medication errors

• Protect resident privacy

• Follow infection control

🔐 PRIVACY RULES:

• ❌ Don’t say resident names out loud

• ❌ Don’t talk about meds in public

• ✔ Use room numbers

• ✔ Hide eMAR screen when stepping away

🧼 INFECTION CONTROL:

• Wash/sanitize hands before + after

• Gloves for:
  

  • Eye drops 👁

  • Ear drops 👂

💊 2. TYPES OF MEDICATION HELP

1⃣ Assistance with Self-Administration

👉 MOST COMMON

• You prepare meds

• Resident takes them

• You watch + document

2⃣ Self-Administration

• Resident manages their own meds

• Needs:
  

  • Doctor’s order

  • RSD approval

🚨 Report if unsafe:

• Loose pills

• Bad storage

• Confusion

3⃣ Nurse Administration

• Nurse gives meds (depends on community)

🏷 3. PRESCRIPTION LABEL (VERY IMPORTANT)

✅ MUST HAVE:

👉 Resident name

👉 Medication name

👉 Dose (ex: 20 mg)

👉 Route (PO, topical, etc.)

👉 Directions (how/when to take)

👉 Physician’s name ⚠ TEST FAVORITE

👉 Date filled ⚠ TEST FAVORITE

👉 Pharmacy name

🚨 RULES:

• ❌ NEVER use meds with missing info

• ❌ NEVER fix/alter a label yourself

• ✔ Send back to pharmacy if wrong

🧠 TEST TIP:

👉 If they ask “what’s missing?”

➡ Most common answers:

• Physician name

• Date filled

⏰ 4. MEDICATION ABBREVIATIONS (TEST GOLD)

🕒 FREQUENCY

🌙 TIME

🍽 FOOD

💊 ROUTE

🚨 SPECIAL

🧠 EXAMPLES (IMPORTANT)

👉 “Take 1 tab PO BID”

= 1 pill, by mouth, morning + night

👉 “Take 1 tab PO HS PRN”

= 1 pill, by mouth, bedtime as needed

🧪 5. MEDICATION TYPES

💊 Prescription

• Needs doctor order

🛒 OTC (Over-the-Counter)

• No prescription needed to buy
  🚨 BUT at Atria:
  👉 STILL needs doctor order

💡 Examples:

• Tylenol

• Advil

• Aspirin

• Mucinex

• Claritin

• Vitamins

🚨 6. MEDICATION ERRORS

Examples:

• Wrong med

• Wrong dose

• Missed dose

• Extra dose

🚨 WHAT YOU DO:

👉 Report IMMEDIATELY

👉 Complete incident report

🧠 RULE:

“If something is off → REPORT”

🔄 7. MEDICATION RELEASE (GIVING TO FAMILY)

🪜 STEPS:

1. Verify person

2. Count meds WITH them

3. Write quantity

4. They sign + date

5. You sign + date

6. File form

🧠 EXAMPLE:

14 days away → give 14 pills

🔁 8. RETURNING MEDICATIONS

🪜 STEPS:

1. Record date/time

2. Count WITH them

3. Write amount

4. They sign

5. You sign

6. Verify correct

🚨 If wrong:

👉 Report immediately

👉 Incident report

🗑 9. MEDICATION DESTRUCTION

🧠 RULE:

👉 ALWAYS 2 STAFF 👥

⏱ TIMING:

• Regular meds → 30 days

• Controlled meds → 3 days

⚡ IMMEDIATE:

1. Remove meds

2. Count

3. Document

4. Destroy

5. Both sign

⏳ DELAYED:

1. Fill MOST of form

2. Skip:
   

   • Disposal date

   • Signature

4. Store safely

5. Finish later

🔐 10. CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES

🚨 HIGH SECURITY

• Double locked 🔒🔒

• Count EVERY shift

• Document in eMAR

🧠 SCHEDULES

👵 11. ELDERLY + MEDS (VERY IMPORTANT)

🧠 Body changes:

• ↓ Kidney function

• ↓ Liver function

• ↑ Body fat

⚠ RESULT:

• Drugs stay longer

• Higher risk of overdose

🎯 RULE:

👉 LOW DOSE + SLOW

😣 12. PAIN SIGNS

👀 Look for:

• Grimacing

• Restless

• Crying

• Aggression

• Holding body part

🧠 ACTION:

👉 Ask questions

👉 Report to supervisor

🧠 FINAL CHEAT CODE (REMEMBER THIS)

👉 “Check → Count → Document → Report → Protect”

• Check labels

• Count meds

• Document everything

• Report problems

• Protect privacy