Mom has had multiple UTI's, landing her in the emergency room multiple times in the last year. Our requests for any sort of solution have fallen on deaf ears. Her heart doctor has suggested prophylactic antibiotics multiple times. There's over the counter options as well. The staff is dragging their feet and I'm at my wits end. Mom is on Medicare living in a low income but very nice nursing home. Moving her is not an option. How can we get the doctor to listen?
Your Mom needs a culture to determine what antibiotic should be given. She should have IV in the hospital. Moms was 3 days. Then when she goes back to her NH, I would think that antibiotic will continue for a few days. My Mom was given cranberry tablets and a probiotic at her NH to help prevent UTIs. The last year of her life was UTI free. Sometimes, in the elderly, its a crontic problem.
I did care for a long time. Nursing home residents get UTI's (and bad ones) all the time. No facility is making sure the person is squeaky clean. Or changing them the second they go and making sure they are thoroughly cleaned every time. That just doesn't happen.
So they give anti-biotics for UTI's and a nursing home resident is going to be getting them often. That's the reality of being in a nursing home.
I did private homecare for years. My last care client was a bedbound invalid. Her hygiene was immaculately kept 7 days a week. She'd get a UTI once or twice a year. It happens.
The other thing you can do is go to the Director of Nursing at the facility . Demand he/she call the doctor and a telephone order can be obtained. If he/she refuses to call and says they will leave another note for the doctor , then say you will be reporting to Ombudsman .
Now if you are saying that the ordering MD is no longer the MD of your parent because your parent is in the care of the doctor affiliated with the nursing home, that's a whole other kettle of fish. You cannot have TWO MDs at war with one another.