Patient non-compliance with medication is a problem that can have adverse effects on patient outcomes. Non-compliance with medication can occur in the in-patient or out-patient setting. Leigh (2010) estimates as many as 50% of all prescriptions filled—between one and 1.5 billion—per year are not taken correctly (p. 1). Moreover, there are different types of non-compliance, including taking medications incorrectly, taking the wrong dose or at the wrong frequency, or not taking the medications at all. The causes of patient non-compliance with medication can be traced to miscommunication, requiring healthcare leaders to take a more active role in patient advocacy and education. Misunderstandings of how a medication should be taken, what the medication is for, and other issues related to patient education can be directly solved via direct intervention and improved communication. However, some of the causes of patient non-compliance with medication are due to structural issues including the costs of medication and the fact that many medications are not vegetarian and therefore inappropriate for many patients. Not understanding what the medication is for, how it needs to be administered, and in what dose means that patients are not receiving proper education. As Leigh (2010) points out, proper education about medications “reduces readmissions, emergency...
1). DeBrincat (2012) adds that many patients have difficulties understanding the instructions they have been given, due to factors like language and cultural barriers, memory or cognitive impairments, or simply due to lack of information. Some non-compliance issues are unintentional, as with patients who simply misunderstand the instructions. These are problems that can and should be solved by developing more robust protocols for nurses and pharmacists regarding medication education.References
De Brincat, M. (2012). Medication adherence: patient education, communication, and behaviour. Journal of the Malta College of Pharmacy Practice 18(2002).
Hoesli, T.M. & Smith, K.M (2011). Effects of religious and personal beliefs on medication regimen design. Orthopedics 34(4): 292-295.
Leigh, E. (2010). Teaching patients about their medications. The Center for Healthcare Communication. Retrieved online: http://www.communicatingwithpatients.com/articles/teaching_about_meds.html
Weiner, S. (2001). I can’t afford that! Journal of General Internal Medicine 16(6): 412-418.
Compliance Patient compliance is not always easy to obtain and it is frustrating when patients fail to follow recommendations and instructions. In addition, nurses and physicians tend to expect compliance while there is plenty of evidence derived from clinical studies that compliance should not be expected. This work intends to examine and analyze the issue of patient compliance. (Stone, et al., 1998) Lamb (nd ) reports that for products marketed
These studies demonstrate that there are several factors associated with patient noncompliance, regardless of the disease being treated. Medication side effects represent only one of these issues. Nurse practitioners could help to resolve many of these issues by being proactive and asking questions about side effects in patients at risk for becoming noncompliant. They may also be able to predict noncompliance in patients that are prescribed medications with known side
Patient care and recovery statistics demonstrate that the United States has a medical care system with which Americans are less satisfied than other citizens in developed countries. There are many reasons for this: correlation between health and socioeconomic status; non-universality; federal government is not involved in medical planning although it purchases a large percentage of the 14% health care GNP; lobbying and special interest group interference; and political opposition to
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Discharge Education to Promote Patient Self-Efficacy Care and concern for the patient's health and well-being after being discharged from the hospital or clinic does not end for healthcare providers. Particularly for chronically ill patients, post-discharge care is more critical to ensure that in the course of the patient's daily routine and activities, all medical requirements are adhered to and all medications needed are complied with. This is why more often than
Essay Topic Examples 1. The Ethical Pillars of Patient Confidentiality: Explore the ethical principles that underpin the concept of patient confidentiality, such as respect for autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice. Discuss the role these principles play in establishing the trust necessary for an effective patient-provider relationship and the implications when confidentiality is breached. 2. The Evolution of Patient Confidentiality Laws: Examine the historical development of
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