title: Revising a medication education program on an inpatient child and adolescent psychiatric unit.
abstract: Adherence to a medication regimen can be challenging for children and adolescents with mental health disorders. Medication education can be a beneficial tool for nurses to help promote adherence to psychotropic medications. This article describes an initiative to improve medication education offered to children and adolescents and their families on an acute child and adolescent inpatient unit in a mental health facility. Strategies included adding a game to medication education groups, creating and distributing medication education handouts, and developing and implementing medication education sessions for parents. When used by the patients and families, the interventions were appreciated. Having successful interventions in place may help meet the diverse educational needs of this population as nurses seek to improve medication adherence.
authors.affiliation: Youth Services, Parkview Behavioral Health, Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA. carmen.eisemmann@parkview.com
authors.forename: Carmen M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Eisenmann
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017028:Caregivers / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D003479:Curriculum; D006126:Group Processes; D006801:Humans; D055118:Medication Adherence / Q000523:psychology; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000451:nursing*; D010174:Pamphlets; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011567:Psychiatric Department, Hospital; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D011619:Psychotropic Drugs