How To Apply Medication Patches and Creams

If a healthcare professional orders medication patches or creams for the person you’re caring for, you may need to help them apply them.

Sometimes the labels for these medications can be pretty confusing and you may be worried you won’t do it properly.

In this video, we’ll review how to apply medication patches and creams so that you can feel confident working with them.

Let’s try it!

First, you’ll need the prescribed medication patch or cream.

And some disposable gloves.

You’ll also need a garbage can to dispose of the used patch.

Start by washing your hands and putting on some gloves so that medication from the patch doesn’t absorb into your skin.

When working with medication patches, it’s important to remember to remove and discard the old patch first.

After you remove the old patch, stick it to your glove, remove the gloves and throw them out. You can also fold the patch in half and dispose of it that way.

Choose an area to stick the patch that is clean, dry and free of hair or skin irritation. You might need to wash, dry or shave an area for the patch to stick well.

The best places to choose will be on the upper arms, chest and upper or lower back. Rotate where you stick the patch so that you don’t use the same area twice in a row to prevent skin irritation.

Once you have a spot picked out, put on a fresh pair of gloves and carefully remove the patch from the package and peel off the protective backing.

Never cut a medication patch. If the patch dosage doesn’t match what the health care provider ordered, follow up with their pharmacist.

Stick the patch in place and make sure it is smooth with no creases, then remove your gloves and wash your hands.

To help with medicated creams, you’ll start by washing your hands and wearing gloves to stop the medication from absorbing into your skin.

First, read the label on the cream thoroughly. You’ll need to know where to apply the cream. It could be their whole body, one body part or it could only say “apply to affected areas” which means only the areas that need it. If you’re not sure where to ask the person you’re caring for or follow up with their healthcare provider.

Put the amount of cream you’ll need onto your gloved hand. If the instructions say to ‘apply generously or liberally’ you can apply a thick layer. If it says to ‘apply sparingly’ you’ll only need a thin layer of the medication.

Try to avoid touching the jar or bottle with a soiled glove so you don’t accidentally contaminate the medication.

Spread the medication as directed to the skin of the person you’re caring for. Follow the instructions carefully because some creams will be rubbed in and some are meant to be left as a protective layer.

Once you’re done, remove your gloves carefully to avoid touching any medication left there with your bare hands, then throw out the gloves and wash your hands.

The instructions on some medicated creams and patches can be complicated, but with some practice following the steps in this video, you’ll be able to safely apply them with ease.

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