According to Consumer Affairs*, it’s estimated that 7,000 deaths occur every year due to incorrect prescriptions. They are astounding statistics. Company, I’ve caught a pharmacist creating a very big mistake. Our son Nick was supposed to get 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of a medication, and also the label said to give him 1 ml. That’s 5 times under he was supposed to get! I’d remembered exactly what the doctor had prescribed, checked out the little tiny bottle which was given to me and wondered generate an income was supposed to get 30 teaspoons out of this thing. That’s when I noticed the mistake.
I’m no stranger to having to administer lots of medications. Our son Nick has been on prescription medications since birth, and that he were built with a kidney transplant on August 15, 2000. Since that time, I have been responsible for administering those life saving meds. There isn’t much more stressful than knowing that you just cannot forget a medication, or administer the incorrect amount. I’m able to nearly get it done with my eyes closed now. But when I first started I had no clue what questions I ought to be asking, what supplies I should have on hand, or how to stay organized and so i didn’t make a mistake.
Over the past 14 years, I’ve seen mistakes made, and I’ve designed a few myself. This information is about what I’ve learned along the way. It is not to become construed as medical advice, but instead personal opinion. Please check with your personal doctor and pharmacist to make sure you are doing everything that you need to do in order to avoid medication mistakes.
Beginning in the Doctors Office
It all starts here. There are several questions that you ought to be prepared to answer, and several questions that you ought to be prepared to ask. Every single one of these is extremely important. Keep a journal. Bring it along with you to all doctor appointments.
Questions You will have to Answer
Patient’s health background: It’s wise to help keep a journal of the patient’s health background. This will include current and past illnesses and/or health conditions, surgeries, current and past medications, any allergies to food or medications. When visiting the doctor, a nurse will ask several questions that can help a doctor. Having a journal will ensure that you don’t leave anything out.
Family health background: It’s also very important you know regarding your family health background. I recognize that sometimes adoption is involved and it’s not possible. But whenever it is possible, obtain the family medical history for both sides from the family (maternal and paternal). So if you’re bringing your son or daughter to the doctor, you want to know both the history on your side of the family as well as your child’s father/mother side from the family.
Listing of current medications: When you go to the doctor, you will be requested a list of current medications, including the dose. It’s much easier to bring a list along with you and just hand it over to the nurse using the information than it is to try to remember everything right there at that moment. I like to use index cards designed in pencil. He cards hold up well, you are able to erase pencil, and you will keep your card with the medications when you’re not utilizing it in the doctor’s office.
Consider the medication bottle(s) and write down the name of the medication, just how much (volume) you are administering and just how many mg. per unit. By doing this the doctor knows the exact amount that is being taken. For instance, if a prescription has 1 mg per ml, and you’re simply administering 5 ml, a doctor knows the patient is getting 5 mg.
Questions to Ask a doctor. Jot down Exactly what the Doctor Says!
When prescribed a brand new medication, there are many things you will need to know. You will want to check what the doctor says to you against exactly what the bottle of medication says when you pick it up at the pharmacy.
While speaking with a doctor about having a new prescription filled, write down the name, the volume to be administered, and total mg’s per dose that will be administered: The bottle will most likely say something like 1mg/cc. If you are new to this, or you’re not good at math, ask the doctor exactly what the bottle that you will be getting should say. For example, if Nick gets 5 mg of Prednisolone every second day, and there’s 1 mg. per ml, he then ought to be getting 5 ml’s of the medication for any total of 5 mg. every second day.
1 mg./ml X 5 ml = 5 mg.
Brand name vs. generic name: If a prescription does not say ‘no substitutions’ you will most likely receive the generic version of this drug. Ask a doctor what that name would be.
What’s this medication going to treat: It may seem obvious, but if you’re coping with more than one medication, you wouldn’t want mistake one that treats high blood pressure with one which treats a headach. One which you have to take every day with one which you are taking only when needed.
How long does it take for the medication to consider effect: It might just take minutes for it to begin working, or it may be considerably longer than that. It is good to understand the solution to this question. Especially if it will take a few weeks to operate!
Food, drink, herbal and drug interactions: Drinking Alcohol is definitely an obvious substance that could connect to drugs. But are you aware that grapefruit, chocolate and licorice are common too? Herbal medicines can connect to prescriptions, over the counter medications, and also the list goes on. Let both the doctor and pharmacist know what meds (prescription and also over the counter) and herbal supplements are now being taken. Ask what should not be taken with the prescription, including foods and beverages.
Also keep in mind, prior to going to buy an over the counter (OTC) medication or supplement for someone on the prescription, ask the pharmacist in the event that OTC item is okay to take using the meds the person is already on (both prescribed and OTC)! It is easy to forget to do this, especially this time of the year when individuals catch a cold or get sick and you’re in a hurry to obtain back home. While you may have been given a list of what really should not be taken using the med already, you need to still ask. The Pharmacist may be the drug specialist. It’s the things they’re doing the whole day. Just give the pharmacy a phone call even before you bother going to the store. Inform them what’s happening and ask them for tips about what you need to buy. That is what they’re there for!
Ask about negative effects: You cannot turn on the television for too long without seeing a commercial for many new medication which has emerge. And then they quickly list the usually large list of possible side effects. It’s important to ask both doctor and pharmacist what they’re for each medication. Sometimes even more drugs are prescribed to counter the results of meds. Lovely, huh? Often times a medication is really a unfortunate requirement. But then there are several that could ‘t be essential, and you may decide against using because of an unwanted side-effect.
Ask how, when with what the medication should be taken: With or without food? If it’s with food, what kind of food? If you give all meds through a feeding tube, and also you receive a tablet or capsule, are you able to crush it? Should it be taken at some point of day? A particular time before or after consuming? Many of these things are vitally important to know. For instance, one of Nick’s meds is fairly particular and contains to become combined with water and taken on an empty stomach, and that he can’t eat for an hour after. Another one he was previously on needed to be mixed in a little glass jar with water, using a metal utensil to stir it with.
Eventually you’re going to get into a routine of when and how to administer the drugs also it will not be this type of problem. Keep a small calendar with the meds and cross off each day as you go. If you give meds more often than once a day, obtain a calendar where one can check each day off one, two, three or how ever many times you need to. An even bigger calendar if you need to actually write the specific medication(s) down if that helps you to stay organized.
What goes on if you miss a dose, or not all of the med was taken/given for whatever reason?: It can happen! In the event you skip it? Take it? Double up the next dose? Both my husband and I have given Nick meds through the feeding tube while using medicine port coupled with the feeding port blow open while pushing the med through with a syringe. At that point, we had no idea which meds, and just how a lot of each med, actually managed to get into his stomach! We’d to call the doctor and get them how to proceed. Some meds we just skipped, others we gave to him again.
What happens if you take/give an excessive amount of accidentally?: This can happen, too. You get distracted and can’t remember should you already gave that med. It happened to me once, back when our oldest boy would be a teen but still lived in your own home. He would be a very difficult teen, and we were in a heated discussion as i was measuring out Nick’s meds and thought I may have given him one of the meds twice. Talk about panic! I known as the poison control center plus they said he’d be fine. However i never want to do that again!
How you can Store the Medication: Some meds need to stay inside a certain temperature. Generally you can either have them in the fridge or not within the fridge. There should be a little sticker somewhere around the medication if you are supposed to keep it in the fridge. And it is not recommended that you simply keep medications in the bathroom. Too many germs in there.
Make Sure YOU Can Read the Prescription Before You Leave the Doctor’s Office:
Many doctors have converted to computer generated prescriptions, but many have not. If you cannot read the prescription, chances are the pharmacists may have a hard time as well. Be a pain within the butt, ask a doctor to rewrite the prescription to ensure that it’s legible if you can’t see clearly. They should have respect for you that you care enough about making sure it is filled correctly and do as you ask without having to be upset about it.
When You’re Ready to Have the Prescription Filled
Use the Same Pharmacy For those Prescriptions: It is the pharmacist’s job to talk about All the medications a person is on, and ensure they won’t connect to each other. Help them do their job and steer clear of mistakes by sticking with only one pharmacy. This way they can see in their computer system a list of all of the medications for that person they’re filling prescriptions for. Don’t have one filled at CVS, and 2 filled at Walmart.
The pharmacist also needs to know: The pharmacy will also inquire about allergies, and if you are a new comer to the pharmacy, they’ll have to know what other medications (prescriptions, OTC, supplements, herbal) you are well on. It might appear redundant, but it is essential that they know this information, too. They’ll keep record of what you tell them in their computer system. Be sure to let them know contrary changes, too.
Ask the pharmacist questions: It’s a good idea to ask the pharmacist when and how to accept medication, about interactions with other food, drinks, OTC and prescription drugs, and about any side effects. Do this even though you have previously asked a doctor.
So why do I say this? Doctors have to know about medications, but it’s the Pharmacist that’s the real expert. To illustrate so what can happen whenever you don’t learn about possible side effects: Nick was prescribed Baclofen for muscle spasms he was having. I wasn’t along with my game at that time, and missed out until it had been too late that Baclofen can exasperate seizures. Now he’s on Keppra to prevent seizures. And despite my best efforts, with 2 yrs price of weaning, I have been not able to completely get him from the Baclofen.
When You Pick Up the Prescription
Now it’s time to compare exactly what the doctor said had been prescribed using what you’re being handed when you pick up the prescription. Here are some items to check:
Check the name of the patient on the bottle – make certain it’s for you personally! Yes, I’ve been given someone else’s medication. Correct name was on the label that was stapled to the bag, but someone else’s medication was in the bag.
The name of the medication – believe it or not, this really is one of the greatest mistakes. The names of medications can be quite similar. Make sure you get the correct one!
Brand Name vs Generic Name – If your doctor writes on the brand around the prescription, unless ‘no substitution’ is written, you’ll most likely obtain the generic version. It will say both generic and brand around the bottle. Search for them.
Volume of medication obtain – this is how much you will measure out.
Dosage – the total mg, that you will be giving. A bottle of medicine will say how many mg/ml, etc. is in the drug.
Storage – look for special instructions.
Shake or not to shake – look for special instructions. Also note: when the pharmacist must add water to some medication, they probably will not do this until you’re at the pharmacy prepared to get it. The reason being the medication’s expiration date is going to be affected by the date water is added. Take this into account an plan ahead of these prescriptions.
Measuring devices – get syringes when ever possible. And ensure you get a size that you can actually use! Quite often it’s not the pharmacist that will decide which syringes you get. You cannot accurately measure out 0.3 ml having a 10 ml syringe.
Browse the label for instructions on how to properly go ahead and take medication. Take a look against exactly what the doctor said.
Read all those other little stickers around the bottle: there might be some other special instructions that aren’t on the regular label, for example Be careful when driving or operating heavy equipment, etc..
Read the label around the bottle for correct dosage every time a prescription is refilled: Another catch I made wasn’t so much a mistake around the pharmacy end, but a change in the strength of med that nobody explained about after i refilled his prednisolone. He accustomed to get 3 cc’s once every other day. The effectiveness of the liquid was changed sooner or later (new supplier maybe), and that he now gets 5 cc’s once every other day. He’s still getting the same total mg., I just need to measure it out different now. But neither the doctor’s office or the pharmacy told me when the change was made. I simply happened to read the label on the bottle and notice. I had to call the doctor’s office and question them on it and complain that nobody told me, the one giving him the med. Who knows how long I could have been giving him the wrong dose if I hadn’t noticed the modification on the label. I’d been measuring it exactly the same for a long time…I do not may need to look at the labels anymore to understand how much he must get from the dozen meds he’s on. I truly lucked out when I noticed. Oh and, it had been a physician at Boston Children’s Hospital that refilled the prescription. So don’t let the fact that a prescription is filled with a doctor at one of the top hospitals in the country sway you from being just as careful when filling prescriptions.
