POLICY STATEMENT.

The Division of Veterans Healthcare Services (DVHS) requires each of the New Jersey Veterans Memorial Homes (VMH) to establish a nursing services program that permits veterans home residents, interested and deemed capable via interdisciplinary assessment, to self-administer medications in accordance with Federal and State Regulatory requirements.

PURPOSE.

This policy and procedure shall serve to ensure veterans home residents who choose to self-administer medications and who, following interdisciplinary assessment, are determined to have the cognitive and physical ability to do so, are permitted to self-administer medications.

PROCEDURE.

  1. New Jersey Veterans Memorial Homes

 

  1. The New Jersey Veterans Memorial Homes shall ensure veterans home residents who express the wish to self-administer medications are assessed by an Interdisciplinary Team to ascertain whether the individual has the cognitive and physical capacity to safely exercise this right and if deemed to be capable, shall facilitate self-administration along with the following minimal requirements:
  1. Procure a written order for self-administration of medications from the prescriber.

 

  1. Establish a self-administration care plan that, based upon resident assessment, considers:
  1. Storage of medications

 

  1. Specifications for labeling, including directions for use.
  1. Methods of documentation in the medical record.

 

  1. Incorporate policies for the on-going and periodic review and assessment of the resident’s continued ability to self-administer medications.
  1. Provide the necessary support and training to assist residents in self-administration of medications.

 

  1. Incorporate policies and procedures for the identification, investigation, reporting of self-administration medication errors, including documentation in the medical record and the assurance of a follow-up assessment scheduled with the physician.
  1. Medication errors will be cause for reevaluation of the resident's self-administration program.

 

  1. If the Interdisciplinary Team determines that the resident is unable to carry out this responsibility (because this would be a danger to the resident or to others), then the Interdisciplinary Team Committee may withdraw this right.

 

Revised: June 2007