To help people to remember to take their medication, especially in the morning rush, set a reliable alarm clock that has a snooze button next to or near the medicine bottle. (This alarm clock is only for medication purposes and should not be used to awaken with.) When the alarm rings, you can hit the snooze button if you cannot take the medication right then and there, and then it will ring again in a few minutes (hopefully, when the client is less distracted). Instruct the client to not shut off the alarm until after the medication is taken.
This can work better than setting alarms on iPhones and smart phones in the morning, because it is way too easy to shut off the alarm on the phone, while the snooze button will keep reminding the patient to take the medication.—MARY ANDERSEN, APRN, CNS, MSN, Apple Valley, MN (212-3)
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