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Basic medication safety
Basic medication safety
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Prescription medications take on greater purpose later on in life. However, if not monitored, they can potentially cause more harm than good. To prevent potential accidents, it's important to keep a safety checklist for senior medication. Prescription Purpose Tracking the purpose of each prescriptions allows you to watch and ensure that each drug is doing what it's supposed to. If you see that a medication is not working to treat symptoms, you can then go back to the doctor and ask for a different dosage or medication. Side Effects Along with purpose, it's important to note the side effects of each medication. This will help ensure you know what to expect, as well as can quickly identify potentially harmful side effects that require a
change in medication. Drug Interactions Seniors often have multiple medications, and a doctor may not always catch medicines that interact with each other. After making a detailed list of the purpose and side effects of each medication, make an accompanying list of drug interactions. Watch for interactions between medications that have already been described, as well as for interactions with certain foods. The Beers List The Beers List was developed by Dr. Mark Beers to help ensure the elderly are not prescribed drugs that are inappropriate for their bodies due to riskier side effects, such as benzodiazapines and certain analgesics and antihypertensives. Consult this list with each prescription and speak with the prescribing doctor if there are concerns. Follow Up Periodically bring a list of medications to doctor's appointments. Ask whether they are still needed, as well as if there are newer medications with less side effects or cheaper alternatives to current prescriptions.
Nurses were the professional group who most often reported medication errors and older patients were those most often affected in the medication errors reports analyzed for this study (Friend, 2011). Medication error type’s revealed omitted medicine or dose, wrong dose, strength or frequency and wrong documentation were the most common problems at Site A where the traditional pen and paper methods of prescription were used; and wrong documentation and omission were the most common problems associated with medication errors at Site B where the electronic MMS was introduced (Friend, 2011). Reports of problems such as wrong drug, wrong dose, strength or frequency, quantity, wrong route, wrong drug and omitted dose were less frequent at Site B (Friend, 2011). The reduced incidence of omission errors at Site B supports suggestions that an advantage of the MMS is easy identification of patient requirements at each drug round time slot. Despite the finding of less omission errors at site B where the MMS had been introduced, there was a relatively high frequency in the incident reports of medication errors related to both omission and wrong dose, strength and frequency at both sites (Friend, 2011).
both the benefit and risk of all medication before approval.. In addition, FDA makes the labeling
Polypharmacy among the elderly is a growing concern in U.S. healthcare system. Patients who have comorbities and take multiple medications are at a higher risk for potential adverse drug reactions. There is a great need for nursing interventions in conducting a patient medication review also known as “brown bag”. As nurses obtain history data from patients at a provider visit, the nurse should ask “what medications are you taking?” and the answer needs to include over-the-counter medications as well. If the response does not include any medications other than prescribed meds, it is incumbent upon the nursing professionals to question the patient further to ensure that no over-the-counter medications or supplements are being consumed. This is also an opportunity for the nurse to question about any adverse reactions the patient may be experiencing resulting from medications. Polypharmacy can result from patients having multiple prescribers and pharmacies, and patients continuing to take medications that have been discontinued by the physician. Nurses are in a unique position to provide early detection and intervention for potentially inappropriate medications and its associated adverse drug reactions.
Polypharmacy among the elderly is a growing concern in U.S. healthcare system. Elderly who have comorbities and take multiple medications are at a higher risk for potential adverse drug reactions. Elderly who take over-the-counter medications, herbs, and supplements without consulting their physician are at risk for adverse reactions associated with polypharmacy. Polypharmacy can result from patients having multiple prescribers and pharmacies, and patients who continue to take medications which have been discontinued by the physician. There is a great need for nursing interventions regarding polypharmacy, including medication reviews also known as “brown bag”. As nurses obtain history data and conduct a patient assessment, it is essential to review the patients’ medications and ask open-ended questions regarding all types of medications in which the patient is taking. In addition, the patient assessment is also an opportunity for the nurse to inquire about any adverse reactions the patient may be experiencing resulting from medications. Nurses are in a unique position to provide early detection and intervention for potentially inappropriate medications and its associated adverse drug reactions.
When doctors prescribe medication for their patients, a local retail pharmacy is most likely to be utilized to fill the order. However, there is a growing population of older Americans that are no longer able to live independently and must reside in nursing homes or assisted living facilities. In order for this vulnerable population to receive their medications, a different kind of pharmacy is needed, these are known as LTC, long term care pharmacies. Within these specialized pharmacies there are highly trained employees called CPhTs, certified pharmacy technicians who are overseen by state licensed RPHs, otherwise known as pharmacists.
It is a fact; the older adult population is living longer. While many older adults are fit and healthy, others are frail and weak requiring necessary medication. It is more important than ever for all of the healthcare community to be conscious of safe prescribing and the proper use of medicine when taking care of older adults.
Almost every human being on Earth has experienced some form of medication in their lifetime. Whether it may be pill form, syrup, topical creams, or even a shot; medicine is experienced by everyone. The three medicines that I have chosen to talk about today are Lamisil, Lipitor and Zoloft. All three of these medications must be prescribed by a doctor.
The ability to become reflective in practice has become a necessary skill for health professionals. This is to ensure that health professionals are continuing with their daily learning and improving their practice. Reflective practice plays a big part in healthcare today and is becoming increasingly noticed.
For effective treatment, patients should receive treatment under the guidance of a physician so that they can monitor any changes. Patients are also advised not to take double dose if they have lost one they should consult their doctors for proper orientation. They should also ensure that the doctors say they are under treatment in the event that you are being treated for other conditions. They also needtell your doctor if you are in other forms of medication so they can determine if they have adverse reactions to
Specific Purpose: To inform my audience about the dangers of prescription drugs when not taken as prescribed by your physician or pharmacist.
Medications are important part of patient’s life, in that without compliance or adherence to once prescribed medication, the patient’s disease will linger on and cause more complications in their body. Medication compliance is one of the most important topics discussed with the patients. Medication compliance has been described as the ability of the patient to follow correctly prescribed medication. Compliance of medication does not only point out prescription drugs but any therapeutic and medical equipment such as spacers, braces, crutches walkers among others recommended by the physician or nurse practitioner. Medication adherence also addresses the correct prescribed dose of the medication. Ideally, patients
While seniorcare personnel cannot catch every medication side effect, when they are overseeing medication management plans, they are more likely to notice changes than the casual
I was also responsible for monitoring medication orders and reviewing patient profiles to ensure that the proper drugs and dosages were prescribed and that the pharmacy technician had prepared them properly. In many instances there were mistakes made in the preparation phase and sometimes even before, with incorrect dosages or drugs being prescribed and prepared, which could result in serious adverse effects for the patient. A clinical pharmacist’s role, however, is to make sure that these mistakes never reach the
Secondly, they advise their patients in assuring the appropriate use of medications. It is important to tell the patient about the name of the drug, what is it for, when to take the drug, how many times per day, whether it should be taken before meals, after meals or with meals, the method of taking the drug and its side effects and possible drug-drug interactions. (Swanson, 2005)
Pharmacists play a key role in patient care and well-being. Not only do quality pharmacists dispense prescriptions to their patient’s, but they also consul them on how to get superior results. By maintain a thoughtful relationship and open communication with patients, pharmacists are able to best access their patient’s needs. As a pharmacist, it would be my goal to have that strong relationship with my patients. My dad personally struggled with taking his prescriptions, as most individuals diagnosed with severe clinical depression do. Clearly it is not his pharmacist’s fault my dad didn’t take his medication before it was too late. His pharmacist simply did his job. However, as a pharmacist, I would go above and beyond, the extra mile, to access