Long Term Care Chart Reviews and Laws/Regulations

[Me_Gusta_Drugs]

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These questions are to any LTC pharmacists out there...

So I am going to be in a position where I am inpatient staff pharmacist part time and possibly in a long term care position part time. The positions is strictly chart reviews + all the other BS laws and regulations that pharmacy has to help uphold with these LTC patients (ie. a patient can only be prescribed a psychotropic like haldol if they or their caregiver have signed a consent allowing it....and as a LTC pharmacist you must help make sure all the documentation like this is done....or else your institution gets in trouble).

A couple questions.

1) How do LTC pharmacists enjoy doing chart reviews?...how much time on average do you spend on a chart review (not initial review...just the follow ups). I honestly think this is the very CLINICAL part of the job...basically look at the chart and put on your clinical hat. Example: MD prescribes zyprexa PRN agitation...there is not much evidence for atypical antipsych's for this indication so you should write a "dear doctor" in the chart about it asking for it to get D/Ced

2) Regarding the laws/regulations. This seems like the part of LTC pharmacy that sucks. You have to be a policeman and make sure all the documentation is correct in the patients chart (see example above). Id like to hear the opinion of other LTC pharmacists and what their role is in this? How much time do you spend doing this? Where do you LEARN all these laws and regulations about LTC pharmacy?

We all hear about how the older population is growing rapidly...I think LTC might not be the most desirable pharmacist position...but this position as a pharmacist will grow rapidly as the aging poulation grows

I appreciate your honest feedback

 

[All4MyDaughter]

If you think laws to protect patients from improper use of chemical restraints (and other such laws) are BS... you may not like being a LTC pharmacist.

I did chart reviews on my last rotation. They took me forever at first but I got faster the more I did. I liked them because you truly had to look at the whole picture when reviewing a patient's chart.

 

[Sparda29]

Had a LTC rotation in June, enjoyed it quite a lot except for having to unit dose stuff. Chart reviews took me a while to get used to since the information was all scattered in different places.

 

[Me_Gusta_Drugs]

If you think laws to protect patients from improper use of chemical restraints (and other such laws) are BS... you may not like being a LTC pharmacist.

I did chart reviews on my last rotation. They took me forever at first but I got faster the more I did. I liked them because you truly had to look at the whole picture when reviewing a patient's chart.

lol you should be a politician...way to try and take something out of context and make the other guy look like an A hole and you look like a caring hero

it has to do what the work the pharmacist has to do...comb the charts for a lot of paperwork and documentation that the pharmacist requires...maybe not all LTC pharmDs do this

 

[All4MyDaughter]

lol you should be a politician...way to try and take something out of context and make the other guy look like an A hole and you look like a caring hero

it has to do what the work the pharmacist has to do...comb the charts for a lot of paperwork and documentation that the pharmacist requires...maybe not all LTC pharmDs do this

Overreact much? 🙄

I was just commenting that if THIS is how you feel about LTC regulations:

all the other BS laws and regulations that pharmacy has to help uphold with these LTC patients (ie. a patient can only be prescribed a psychotropic like haldol if they or their caregiver have signed a consent allowing it....

I wasn't trying to make you look like anything. Just commenting that if you think the laws are BS, you may not enjoy being a LTC pharmacist.

DO you think laws dealing with appropriate and inappropriate use of medications like haldol are BS? Or do you think the laws have a valid purpose? It's a fair question.

 

[Me_Gusta_Drugs]

Yea such BS that the patient has to have a law protects them. Horrible. Exactly why I made my post. glad you pointed that out
*sarcasm*

i should have been more clear on my choice of words...again for the 2nd time, it has to do with that particular part of the work the pharmacist has to do. Other LTC facilitys are likely different tho and im not gonna get in more details

Overreact much? 🙄

I was just commenting that if THIS is how you feel about LTC regulations:



I wasn't trying to make you look like anything. Just commenting that if you think the laws are BS, you may not enjoy being a LTC pharmacist.

DO you think laws dealing with appropriate and inappropriate use of medications like haldol are BS? Or do you think the laws have a valid purpose? It's a fair question.