Patients Refusing Medications First and foremost, it is within a patient's right to refuse medication. Rarely are there exceptions to this rule. A court can order medication for a person, but even then, there are guidelines to forcing medication into someone's body. Reasons Patients May Refuse Medication - Medications that are used to treat paranoia can be very tricky to work with. You have a patient that may have serious delusions; the patient may feel as though they are being conspired against, as if you are trying to poison them. Think for a moment, it you were kidnapped and held against your will, and the kidnappers offered you pills, would you take them? That is most likely exactly how the patient suffering from paranoia feels. You may tell them the pills will make it better; however they may not believe that at all. It would have to be pretty difficult to hold out a hand and take pills from someone you think is attempting to kill you. - Many medications can simply make you sick. They may be designed to cure what sickness the patient is suffering from; however, some can make them feel so nauseous and cause vomiting and diarrhea to the point the patient refuses the medication, - You may have heard a patient say a medication made them feel loopy, well that may be very accurate. There are many medications that can put the mind into a somewhat altered state. A patient may feel as if they are not themselves. One patient said she was terrified of insects her entire life, and yet when put on a psychotropic medication, she didn't acknowledge the fear. According to her, she didn't acknowledge anything. She wasn't sad, nor happy, she was just blah, did nothing matter. She stopped the meds and refused to accept anymore, she felt it made her a different person. This is understandable, you may want a pill to help with depression, but you don't want to feel as if you've lost your identity. Very few people are anxious to consume medication that changes who they are. Related: What are the risk of Obesity? What are the Treatments? -
There are some people that do not like to take medication. This primarily happens in the male’s population; however, it can occur with either. In some cases, taking medication is like torture and the patient has no intentions of taking the drug, even if they are told it's essential.
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Some patients, although not a large percentage would rather rely on holistic means and avoid everything else. For instance, a patient brought her 4-year-old son to the emergency room for a diagnosis, however once learning the diagnosis, she opted to treat her son at home with homeopathic medications. This patient's parents were certain that honey and some specified herbs, they could cure his pneumonia. Religious beliefs can play a role in the acceptance of medications. Some patients are unwilling to accept medical treatment or medications. This can pose a problem for a medical facility when a child is involved. It's literally a nightmare for a doctor or nurse to see a child that is seriously ill, perhaps even terminal, yet medical treatment can save them. The problem is the parents don't believe in treatment and refuse to allow it. Some courts have removed the child from the parents’ custody temporarily so that the child gets treatment. This is a highly debatable issue, parents have the say over their child in most cases, and however they may lose out in a situation that the child's life is in jeopardy.
There are a number of reasons a patient may decide not to accept their medication, and the first step is to simply inquire as to why they don't want to accept it. You may be able to offer information or an explanation as to what the medication does, and why it is needed. Next, listen to the patient, and be understanding with them. Even if you don't agree, respect their decision. Note that they refused, and the offer at other times, they may change their mind and agree to comply later. Respect the patient and their decision. Related: List of nursing organizations Please follow us on Facebook, Linkedin, Pinterest and Twitter