Attending appointments
Tiếng Việt | Español | Af Soomaali | Pусский | ကညီ | Lus Hmoob | አማርኛ
Page posted: 3/6/24
DHS encourages the person and their support team, if applicable, to discuss the following questions with the licensed practitioner at appointments:
· How will the person and their team know if the medication is working?· Does the licensed practitioner want the team to monitor and measure interfering behavior(s) and symptom information, medication administration, side effects or changes for the person? If yes, did they provide tools to do so (including what to monitor, measure and report)?· Does the person need a baseline assessment of potential side effects? If yes, what is the plan to do that assessment? DHS suggests collecting two weeks of baseline data before starting a medication. The licensed practitioner can compare baseline data to future data to identify changes.· Should a licensed practical nurse (LPN), registered nurse (RN) or other specialist monitor the data?· How often and when should the person’s support team report the collected data to the licensed practitioner?· Did the person and their team receive a copy of the medication guide? If not, the pharmacy can provide this information.· Does the person and their team understand the medication guide? Do they have any questions about it?· If a medication is PRN, does the support team understand when to offer the medication to the person? Does the team know why the medication is prescribed? For example, if a symptom includes “anxiety,” is there a clear understanding of what “anxiety” means for the person?· Did the licensed practitioner explain the potential short-term and long-term side effects to the person or their authorized representative? Could the medication negatively affect the person’s daily living? How so?· Does the person and their team understand the licensed practitioner’s description of the side effect profile? Do they have any questions about it? Are there any subtle side effects to watch for closely? Examples might include teeth clenching, reduction in fine motor skills, increased thirst or other subtle side effects.· Are there any drug, food or other interactions of concern that the support team should monitor?· What is the plan to monitor the person’s functional status? Loss in functional status can include decreased abilities in areas such as self-care, eating, communication, memory, bowel/bladder function, social activities and work performance.· If the person has a developmental disability or significant communication disorder, did the licensed practitioner explain how specific side effects might manifest differently for someone who has difficulty communicating?· Did the licensed practitioner explain how symptoms might change with increases or decreases in the medication dosage?· How often and when should the person check in with the practitioner or make an appointment for therapeutic drug monitoring (if applicable)?Additional resources
Psychotropic Medication Manual
Psychotropic Medication Manual – Appointments
Psychotropic Medication Manual – Preparing for appointments
Psychotropic Medication Manual – Support plan development
Psychotropic Medication Manual – Medications
Report this page