Background and purpose: The purpose of this study was to characterize the meaning nurse practitioners (NPs) ascribed to personal experiences providing care to older adults who take multiple medications to manage complex conditions. The study illuminated the NP experience in caring for the older adult while addressing the complexities of medication management through narrative stories in practice.
Methods: NPs self-identifying as caring for older adults were interviewed (N=15). Narrative inquiry and the three-dimensional narrative inquiry space were used to guide the researcher during data collection and analysis.
Conclusions: Three common themes emerged from the narratives. These themes illuminated the complexities NPs face in managing patients with multiple comorbidities, taking multiple medications, and seeing multiple providers. Identified themes were "mastering the art of the puzzle," "it takes a village," and "power in knowledge." Tools to assist NPs identify and manage polypharmacy were identified including the 2015 updated Beers Criteria, ARMOR (Assess, Review, Minimize, Optimize, and Reassess), STOPP (screening tool of older people's potentially inappropriate prescriptions), and START (screening tool to alert providers to the right treatment) tools.
Keywords: Nurse practitioner; advanced practice nurse; aging; decision making; medication; polypharmacy; qualitative; safety.
©2016 American Association of Nurse Practitioners.