title: District nurses' role in managing medication dysphagia.
abstract: A survey commissioned by the Patients Association (2015) has shown that the risky practice of altering solid-form medication to assist patients with swallowing difficulties is a daily occurrence in care homes. District nurses and community matrons who provide care to patients and assist staff in care homes are well-placed to raise awareness of the impact that tampering with tablets has on patient safety. It is essential that district nurses and community matrons discharge their duty of care to patients in care homes by supporting effective medication management that meets the individual needs of those patients. This article considers the legal and professional standards that must inform a district nurse's support of medication management for a patient with swallowing difficulties residing in a care home.
authors.affiliation: Senior Lecturer in Health Law, College of Health Science, Swansea University.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Griffith
mesh_terms: D003152:Community Health Nursing / Q000592:standards*; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000451:nursing*; D006801:Humans; D008508:Medication Errors / Q000517:prevention & control*; D024802:Nurse's Role; D061214:Patient Safety / Q000592:standards*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom
keywords: dysphagia; medication management; patient safety; tablet crushing