Q:
Our facility is thinking about implementing flexible time ranges for medications rather than a specific time to help us stay in compliance with our heavy morning and evening medication passes. What are the pros and cons of making this change?
A:
Deciding between using a specific scheduled time (e.g., 8:00 AM) versus a time range or window (e.g., 8:00 AM–11:00 AM) for medication administration can significantly impact compliance, safety, and workflow. Here’s a breakdown of the pros and cons.
Pros include:
- Improved time management by giving the nurse flexibility in prioritizing care based on resident needs.
- Reduced stress and risk for medication errors during high-volume times.
- Supports resident-centered care by allowing med times to be adapted to resident routines (e.g., meals, sleep schedules, therapy sessions), improving resident satisfaction and compliance.
- Decreased late administration errors.
Cons include:
- Risk of staff unintentionally delaying critical, high-risk medications beyond the safe window (e.g., insulin, anticoagulants)
- Some medications require strict timing for optimal therapeutic effect.
- Documentation confusion if the eMAR system requires a specific time unless range-based administration is programmed correctly.
- Regulatory risk if misused to justify noncompliance with timely administration for time-sensitive medications.
Best Practice Recommendation:
- Consider using time ranges for non-critical medications to improve workflow efficiency and resident-centered care.
- Use specific scheduled times for time-critical medications, including:
- Insulin (especially rapid-acting)
- Parkinson’s meds
- Antibiotics
- Anticoagulants
- Seizure medications
Written By:
Angie Hamer, RN, RAC-CT
Senior Consultant
Proactive LTC Consulting
Was this article helpful? Access weekly insights when you sign up for our weekly newsletter!