Beyond the Medication Pass: Attitudes, Ethics, Agency, and Antipsychotic Medications in Assisted Living/Residential Care.

This study raises practice and policy implications regarding APU in AL/RC settings. Care staff roles, ethical considerations, and perceived agency inform decision-making on whether to use antipsychotic medications. Participants described costs and benefits associated with both PRN APU and nonpharmaceutical interventions when responding to AL/RC residents' behavioral expressions. Participants' experiences emphasize the interactions across multiple levels of care. Balancing regulatory goals with resident-centered practices underscores the need for a system-level perspective, extending beyond direct care staff passing antipsychotic medications to residents.