Carers Concern Over Medication

[mini61]

I am a carer for a man with severe ms who is home treated. His wife doses him with sativex, not prescribed.She gives him 6 squirts randomly & up to 4 times a day. A colleague refuses to give him more than 4 squirts as it makes him feel very unwell & he insists it has no affect on his spasms. I know little about sativex but my colleague insists that it should be administered over the course of 2 weeks & gradually built up for optimum affect is this correct & what can I do if it is not?

[Sqad]

\\\\administered over the course of 2 weeks & gradually built up for optimum affect is this correct\\\

Quite correct.

\\\\ & what can I do if it is not?\\\

If it is not what?

[pixie373]

If it's not prescribed, I would refuse to give it at all. If he wants to refuse to take it, he's quite entitled to.

[mini61]

sorry Squad I didn't make that clear. I meant, administered as to the correct dosage & built up over the two weeks? ... will this harm him/should it be reported? I don't know about the stuff & if its"safe" for his wife to use it as she does...

[ladyalex]

Who do you actually work for?
Local authority carers where I live will not give medication at all unless the mes are contained within a 'nomad' tray filled by the pharmacist.
They are not even allowed to hand medication to their clients .
So, in answer to your question, I would follow the guidelines for caring.
If you are employed privately, I would get some guidelines in place pronto.
If I were 'helping out' I would have nothing at all to do with any medication tha had not been properly prescribed.
Not sure who you intend to 'report' this to ?

[Sqad]

mini......in my opinion, the procedure re dose and time lapse is correct........can't see a problem.

Your call though.

[woofgang]

If its not prescribed where does it come from and how do you know its not prescribed?