Any info on community nurses?

carrieboo

Registered User
Feb 1, 2016
110
0
herts uk
Haven't posted on her for a while, mum has been quite stable but has gone downhill recently. Was seen in memory clinic last week and scored 38/100 in the test, she's now been diagnosed with mild to moderate Alzheimer's.

I've had her oral medication provided in dosette boxes and she seems to be coping with prompting. However, she also has eye drops as she lost the vision in her right eye a couple of years ago. The drops are to reduce pressure and keep her pain free, 3 different drops in the am and 2 in the pm. It's become clear she has been putting them in her 'good' eye!! I've left notes (which she hides or screws up), stuck signs to the bathroom mirror, tried getting her to do it while I'm on the phone.... she can't accept that she should be putting them in her blind eye. I am not able to go over and do it myself on a regular basis.

I am just starting to contact local care agencies but a friend, an ex nurse, said this morning that this should be a job for a community or district nurse as it's a medical need with a prescription drug. I phone mum's surgery but her GP says it's a job for carers and I should contact Social Services. We had a SS assessment a few weeks ago and mum was not considered to be in need of help because she can get herself washed/dressed etc and she would have to pay anyway as she has savings.

Is the GP just trying to fob me off or should I pursue this? Anyone have any experience of district nurses or problems with administering eye drops?

Many thanks.
 

Beate

Registered User
May 21, 2014
12,179
0
London
I disagree. Eye drops are medication, so it's a nurse's job. I certainly wouldn't leave this in the hands of a care agency carer.
 

Rosettastone57

Registered User
Oct 27, 2016
1,839
0
Haven't posted on her for a while, mum has been quite stable but has gone downhill recently. Was seen in memory clinic last week and scored 38/100 in the test, she's now been diagnosed with mild to moderate Alzheimer's.

I've had her oral medication provided in dosette boxes and she seems to be coping with prompting. However, she also has eye drops as she lost the vision in her right eye a couple of years ago. The drops are to reduce pressure and keep her pain free, 3 different drops in the am and 2 in the pm. It's become clear she has been putting them in her 'good' eye!! I've left notes (which she hides or screws up), stuck signs to the bathroom mirror, tried getting her to do it while I'm on the phone.... she can't accept that she should be putting them in her blind eye. I am not able to go over and do it myself on a regular basis.

I am just starting to contact local care agencies but a friend, an ex nurse, said this morning that this should be a job for a community or district nurse as it's a medical need with a prescription drug. I phone mum's surgery but her GP says it's a job for carers and I should contact Social Services. We had a SS assessment a few weeks ago and mum was not considered to be in need of help because she can get herself washed/dressed etc and she would have to pay anyway as she has savings.

Is the GP just trying to fob me off or should I pursue this? Anyone have any experience of district nurses or problems with administering eye drops?

Many thanks.

The care agency my MIL uses won't administer eye drops. They can only prompt. I don't have an answer for you I'm afraid
 

nellbelles

Volunteer Host
Nov 6, 2008
9,842
0
leicester
My understanding of carers roles with medication, they can only prompt not administer, so if they can’t actually give tablets I fail to see that they would be allowed to administer eye drops
 

Rosettastone57

Registered User
Oct 27, 2016
1,839
0
if they are already there prompting meds from a dossette box, surely same applies to eye drops.

Perhaps the OP can clarify this but there are no carers there at present . Is OP prompting oral medication by phone which can't work with eye drops. ? Carers can prompt both oral and eye drops on visits but not administer them
.
 

carrieboo

Registered User
Feb 1, 2016
110
0
herts uk
Thanks for all the comments. We have no carers at present although I am now making arrangements. Mum has been adamant that she doesn't want 'strangers in the house' but it's clear she can no longer cope.

To clarify, mum seems to be taking her oral medication from the dosette box as she can respond to the visual 'prompts' from the box and seems to have a residual memory of taking tablets morning and evening, which she has done for many years. I phone every day and check.

The issue with the eye drops is that she has only been prescribed them for the past couple of years and cannot now distinguish between left and right and 'good' and 'bad' eye so cannot reliably administer them herself.

I am completely happy to pay for care, my concern is that this is a prescribed medication for a potentially serious condition so surely should be supervised by a medical professional?
 

carrieboo

Registered User
Feb 1, 2016
110
0
herts uk
Just an update - I went back to the GP and left a note. Essentially I wrote that carers will not administer prescription medication. Mum's memory is compromised but so is her hand/eye co-ordination, she often says that she doesn't know if the drops go in as they run down her face.

I was polite but assertive and stated that mum was vulnerable and her vision at risk.

This morning I received a call from the community nurse, mum will be receiving 2 visits a day indefinitely. So don't be fobbed off by a GP if you think you have a case!
 

kindred

Registered User
Apr 8, 2018
2,937
0
Yes, so well done. General point about community nurses. My experience was that these are accessed via the GP and in my case, I wanted them to help with a pressure sore OH had developed: they were superb, meticulous and effective. Part of the very little real help I ever received.
 

carrieboo

Registered User
Feb 1, 2016
110
0
herts uk
Yes, so well done. General point about community nurses. My experience was that these are accessed via the GP and in my case, I wanted them to help with a pressure sore OH had developed: they were superb, meticulous and effective. Part of the very little real help I ever received.
This is lovely to hear. The nurse who phoned me was delightful; reassuring and kind. She said her mother had a very poor short term memory and recommended a digital date/day/time clock which I have now ordered. I can't tell you how relieved I am!
 

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