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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Tablets - AIBU?

42 replies

BlueGoddess · 11/05/2013 08:41

Would you tell hospital staff if one of your relatives wasn't taking their tablets? I found a stash of tablets and we weren't sure what they were so told the nurses just in case they were important.

The fall out has been undesirable to say the least, and I'm questioning if I did the right thing - was I being unreasonable?

OP posts:

Tee2072 · 11/05/2013 08:43

YANBU If they were prescribed the tablets, they need to be taking the tablets.

Pobblewhohasnotoes · 11/05/2013 08:46

Yes of course.

DeepRedBetty · 11/05/2013 08:47

I take it your relative is angry with you? Yanbu, the hospital and doctors cannot take care of your relative properly if they don't have the full information.

Sokmonsta · 11/05/2013 08:47

Yanbu. Prescribed medication is given for a reason. If they genuinely didn't want to take the tablets and not have anyone find them, if possible I'm sure they would have flushed them down the toilet.

BumpingFuglies · 11/05/2013 08:47

Depends - did you talk to your relative about it?

Original poster

BlueGoddess · 11/05/2013 08:48

Thank you - yes, they are very angry .

OP posts:

Original poster

BlueGoddess · 11/05/2013 08:49

I did try to talk to them, yes, and told them to ask what these tablets were as they didn't know what they were but got the brush off.

OP posts:

Smellslikecatspee · 11/05/2013 08:51

Yes yes yes.

Them they can explore why they're not taking their pills. Is it a swallowing issue, is it a side effect issue , is it lack of understanding? Is it confusion. Not to mention if another patient had gotten hold of them(yes other patients shouldn't be in your relations belongings but it happens).

BumpingFuglies · 11/05/2013 08:54

Sounds like you did the right thing - why is your relative angry? Do you know why they weren't taking them?

Original poster

BlueGoddess · 11/05/2013 11:10

Basically I was told that I shouldn't have got involved and it wasn't my business. They weren't taking them as they didn't know what they were and believed they were making them feel weird. I did point out that if the staff don't know that then they can't help.

OP posts:

Dawndonna · 11/05/2013 11:20

Personally I think it depends on what the tablets are for.
eg. If they are anti depressants then mind your own. If it's to control some sort of psychosis then everyone possible should know. If they are for diabetes, blood pressure or other life threatening illnesses, again, evreyone should know.

Original poster

BlueGoddess · 11/05/2013 11:39

That's the thing, at the time we didn't know what they were for. They could have been for a number if medical complaints!

OP posts:

Dawndonna · 11/05/2013 11:46

Ahh, apologies. I obviously didn't read properly. Sorry.
I do hope that things improve for you.

Original poster

BlueGoddess · 11/05/2013 12:11

No apology needed, but thank you. Needless to say I won't be visiting today - big of a relief actually as I have been putting a lot of stuff that needs doing on one side to go over there.

OP posts:

FredFredGeorge · 11/05/2013 12:12

If the individual didn't actually want to agree and consent to the treatment, and it sounds like they didn't, then "telling the nurses" is not the way to handle it, it's to talk to the person about how they need to tell the doctors that they do not agree with the treatment prescribed and how they can be treated differently. So you could've assisted with that process, and no I don't think it matters a jot what the medicine was for.

Telling tales behind their back was not the right approach at all unless the patient wasn't capable of consent themselves, and it seems very much like they were.

So yes YABU for the way you handled the situation, but YANBU for caring and wanting to have the medical staff aware of the situation - but it should've been addressed with the patient.

FredFredGeorge · 11/05/2013 12:13

Oh and if the patient genuinely didn't know what the tablets were - then they should not have been taking them!

amothersplaceisinthewrong · 11/05/2013 12:16

Think I agree with FredFred, that the best approach would have been to talk to the person - but I would have added that if the person themselves was not going to do tell the doctors then you would.

sweetestcup · 11/05/2013 12:17

Its hard to say without knowing more details really, who is your relative, why are they in hospital and where did you find the tablets?

coralanne · 11/05/2013 12:19

When I read the AIBU I immediately thought it was going to be about electronic tablets..

Damn I hate this computer age.

Must get back to my quilting.

Iteotwawki · 11/05/2013 12:19

Lots of my patients genuinely don't know the names of the tablets they're on, or the dosage, or what condition they're intended to treat. It doesn't mean they shouldn't be taking them! It means they need better education about their own health, or better communication with their GP.

Original poster

BlueGoddess · 11/05/2013 12:26

Ok to answer the questions, the patient is an elderly relative who has had an operation on a joint. There are numerous ongoing health problems.

I did try to discuss the tablet hiding with them but hit a brick wall in that they were not going to tell the medical staff. The only way I could do it was via a phone call to the ward to make them aware.

OP posts:

SwishSwoshSwoosh · 11/05/2013 12:27

Hmm, moral maze! If this is just a random relatve, I don't think it is your place really, however well meaning you were a person does have the right to ignore doctor's advice. Is the person considered to be of sound mind, making their own decisions? If so, I am not surprised they are angry, although I know you were trying to help.

If the person is not capable of making their own decisions, it becomes a grey area, in that case I would tell the person who is making decisions on their behalf. If that is you, then you acted as you thought correct, the fallout is an unfortunate outcome.

Original poster

BlueGoddess · 11/05/2013 12:29

Sorry, forgot to add that my husband and I are the only relatives in this country and are next of kin.

OP posts:

SwishSwoshSwoosh · 11/05/2013 12:31

But are they capable of making their own decisions, or are you acting for them?

Meerkatwhiskers · 11/05/2013 12:32

That's actually classed as a drug error on the part of the person who gave out those tablets too as they are signing on the prescription chart that the medication has been administered so should have checked they were physically taken.

A lot of patients are unaware why they are taking certain medications. They know they take a water tablet or a blood pressure tablet but they couldn't tell you what it's called or the dosage. A lot have them made up into dosage boxes by the pharmacist so they are in days of the week and doses for the days so they just take the ones in the day and time in the blister pack.

Then in the case of a patient with diminished capacity, then they have no idea what they are taking and are just given their medication for their own good and will generally take it with no complaints.

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