The Medication Administration Schedule helps staff provide patients with detailed instructions about the medications they should take once they return home from the hospital. The schedule can be reviewed with patients and family members at the time of discharge, and the patient can take a copy home for reference. It includes such information as the purposes of the medications and a grid that visually displays the dosing schedule.

Data from multiple organizations about errors related to unreconciled medications show that more adverse events appear to be associated with errors occurring during the discharge process than during other parts of the hospital stay. At Luther Midelfort Hospital, this form was developed to give patients a complete profile of their medications at the time of discharge. A critical component of the schedule is the list at the end that details all medications the patient was taking prior to admission and should no longer take. Failure to provide these explicit instructions has been found to be the cause, in some patient record reviews, of subsequent adverse drug events at home that result in the patient’s return to the hospital.

Before using this schedule, an organization must first implement a clear procedure for review of medications and patient records at the time of discharge. The procedure will ensure that the information on the schedule has been verified and all medications are reconciled properly. Staff who provide discharge instructions to patients should learn how to conduct the medication reviews as well as teach patients about their medication schedule. This schedule is a sample of many possible schedules that may be used, once the process is in place, by clinical personnel providing discharge instructions. It is recommended that organizations use this schedule as a sample only, modifying it as appropriate for the needs of the individual organization and nursing unit.

Related Measures
Errors from Unreconciled Medications per 100 Admissions

Related Changes
Reconcile Discharge Orders with the Nursing Medication Administration Record