Table 1 The clinical practise for the guidelines for the administration of PRN psychotropic applied at KKUH psychiatric in patients^a

After patient admission, all current medications should be documented and reciewed by the admitting team for medication reconciliation

 Use of regular medications for individual patients as PRN is always recommended. Polypharmacy is discouraged

 When handling a patient’s difficult behaviour, before resorting to PRN medications, alternative interventions (e.g., counseling) should be attempted

For each patient, the treating psychiatrist should complete the medication orders with the required regimen of PRN medication as soon as possible

 Patient accepting oral PRN medications and appropriately responding to it should not be given an injection

Administered PRN medication and its response should be clearly documented

After administered PRN medications, the nurse in charge should monitor the vital signs at least hourly and watch for extrapyramidal side effects

If the nurse has any concern, he/she should immediately inform the treating phychiatrist and ask for a medical evaluation