Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Surrounding Safe Medication Disposal in a Hospice Setting

Area of Science:

• Palliative Care
• Pharmacology
• Public Health

Background:

• Opioid pain relief is crucial for end-of-life care in hospices.
• Safe disposal of unused medications is an essential responsibility.
• Medication disposal kits offer an effective and eco-friendly solution.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate hospice clinical staff knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding medication disposal.
• To assess the impact of an online training program on these factors.
• To improve medication disposal methods within the hospice setting.

Main Methods:

• Anonymous surveys administered pre- and post-training to hospice clinical staff.
• A one-hour synchronous online training on medication disposal was provided.
• Patient medical records were reviewed to track disposal method frequency.

Main Results:

• Post-training, a significant increase in staff educating patients on disposal at admission (31% to 46%).
• A notable rise in staff routinely disposing of medications with patients/families (73% to 83%).
• The training demonstrated a positive influence on staff practices.

Conclusions:

• Online training effectively enhances hospice staff's knowledge and practices concerning medication disposal.
• Improved staff education and routine disposal practices contribute to safer medication management in hospice care.
• This initiative supports responsible medication management and environmental safety in end-of-life care settings.