14 Ways to Prevent Medication Mistakes

category: MyDocHub,Nutrition & Wellness
by Leslie RN, BSN, MSN, ARNP,

1. Keep a current and comprehensive list of all of the medications you are taking. Include not only those obtained by prescription, but also over-the-counter medications such as cold remedies, aspirin, vitamins and herbal supplements. On this list, also include any allergies you have to medications, and any other allergies you have.

2. Whether you use one or multiple pharmacists, be sure that all have a copy of your medications list.

3. When you go to any doctor, give the doctor a copy of your medications list.

4. When a doctor gives you a written prescription, ask him the name of the medication, its purpose, and dosage. Have him point to the information on the prescription paper. In haste, sometimes a doctor may forget to write the “milligrams” or “frequency,” etc. By having him “read” the prescription to you, he will catch any information accidentally skipped.

5. If you can’t read the doctor’s handwriting on the prescription, there is high likelihood that the pharmacist won’t be able to either. Is the number a “7″ or a “2″? Is your name spelled clearly and correctly? Politely ask the doctor to rewrite the prescription to ensure the pharmacist can follow the instructions. If the doctor is insulted, just tell him you’re trying to save him or his staff the time of returning a pharmacist’s phone call later on to clarify the prescription. This request is also crucial because often a doctor’s nurse will handle pharmacy calls, and she may misread the doctor’s illegible handwriting which could result in your getting the wrong medicine.

6. Ask your doctor “What are the common side effects of this medication?” This will make you aware of potential complications.

7. Ask your doctor: “What should I do if I experience any of the side effects you named or others?” This will give you a clear action plan, rather than waiting out what could be precious time to see if the side effects dissipate or the potential panic of trying to obtain medical care quickly.

8. Ask your doctor: “Do I need to take this medication with or without food?” A drug-food interaction can occur if directions are not properly followed; the food you do or do not eat can affect the ingredients in a medicine you are taking so the medicine cannot work the way it should. For example, taking some medicines at the same time that you eat may interfere with the way your stomach and intestines absorb it. The food may delay or decrease the absorption of the drug. On the other hand, some medicines are easier to tolerate when taken with food.

9. Ask your doctor: “Will or can this drug interfere with any of the other medications I take?” (Be certain he has your most recent medications list.) Your doctor may need to make adjustments to prevent potential problems. For supplemental information, there are a variety of internet sites in which you can research drug interactions.

10. Keep a photocopy of the prescription for yourself. You can ask the doctor’s front office staff to make a copy for you when you check-out.

11. When you pick up your medicine at the drugstore (or receive it in the mail), refer to your photocopy of the prescription to make sure it is what the doctor ordered.

12. If you use a drugstore, when you pick up the medicine and the pharmacist inquires if you have any questions, ask the pharmacist to go over the medicine and dosage requirements. Even though your doctor already provided this explanation, hearing the information a second time will only help ensure you take the medication safely and accurately.

13. Don’t mix medicine into hot drinks because the heat may keep the drug from working. And, never take medicine with alcoholic drinks.

14. Don’t stop taking your medication just because you “feel better.” Complete the entire required dosage (unless instructed otherwise by your physician). If you arbitrarily quit, there is high probability your symptoms or illness will return.

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