Medication management and older patients: an individualized and systematicapproach

The aim of this action research study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an individualized education programme on older patients' knowledge of presc ribed medication. A questionnaire for assessment of medication knowledge was used to collect data from 15 patients at two intervals, before and after an individualized education programme. Following the collection of pre-intervention data, an individualized education programme was developed for each patient. As part of the education programme patients also had an opportunity to self-adminis ter their medication. The results of the study showed that all participants scored higher in the posttest than the pre-test although the degree of improvement varied betwee n participants. Patient satisfaction with the education programme was also assessed and revealed a high level of satisfaction. The most significant finding was the importance of tailoring education prog rammes to meet the needs of the older person. This is borne out by case stu dies, which suggest that the most relevant characteristic of successful par ticipants is a real desire to remain independent and in control of their me dication. The findings question the value of standardized programmes of medication ed ucation that treat older people as a homogeneous population. The article co ncludes by emphasizing the need for nurses and other healthcare professiona ls to individualize their teaching and learning strategies to meet the need s of older patients.