Identification should include the Beers Criteria (or Beers List), which is
- a list of medications considered inappropriate to administer to elderly clients due to risks outweighing benefits
- a list based on recommendations from geriatric experts.
Process/Skill Questions:
- What physical characteristics make the elderly vulnerable to certain medications?
- Who should be notified if one of the medicines on the Beers Criteria list is ordered?
- What are the consequences of polypharmacy?
Teacher Resource: Beers Criteria for Potentially Inappropriate Medication Use in Older Adults, American Geriatrics Society (2023)