Poly-pharmacy Education

Case-Study A: The patient is an 86-year old female admitted to your unit from an assisted living/memory
care facility. During the admission assessment, a medication reconciliation is completed and three filled
prescriptions of ampicillin, ceftriaxone, and trimethoprim/sulphamethoxazole are noted. Each were filled last
year and all have pills left in each bottle. The patient is coherent and responding to questions appropriately.

  1. What is the best approach to asking the patient why she did not take all of the medication(s)? Please
    summarize your response in a paragraph (at least 5 complete sentences).
  2. How will you educate the patient about the importance of completing a regimen of antibiotic therapy?
  3. What education is critical to provide to the older adult who has a history of poly-pharmacy?