By: Deborah Cort

Don’t let the medications you are taking have a negative effect on your health and well-being because you are not aware of how they may interact with each other.

According to the Institute of Medicine, there are more than 2 million serious adverse drug reactions and 100,000 deaths every year from negative drug interactions. Adverse drug reactions are the fourth leading cause of deaths, ahead of pulmonary disease, diabetes, AIDS, pneumonia, accidents and automobile deaths.

The well-informed person will screen every pill, liquid, needle and lozenge before they take it into their bodies. To become a well-informed person, you need to ask questions every time a physician or health-care provider prescribes a new medication for you. One of the best ways to reduce medication errors is to develop a partnership with your health-care provider. A good relationship will enable you to get the appropriate treatment and the appropriate medications.

Here are some things you can do to develop a better relationship with your health-care provider:

• Fully answer the questions asked of you
• Be open and honest and let your health-care provider know your fears and concerns
• Know your health history and the medications you are taking
• Report new symptoms or issues when they arise
• Share important events that may affect you well-being
• To develop a trusting relationship, ask questions if you do not understand
• Respect the provider’s knowledge; and when you have agreed to follow a treatment plan or take a medication, continue on that plan as prescribed.

When the health-care provider is prescribing new medications for you, be prepared to ask if you really need it, why you need it, when you need to take it and what the interactions are with the vitamins, herbs or supplements that you are taking.

If you are like most people, you see multiple physicians during the year. Often, these physicians are not communicating with each other about the medications they have prescribed for you. It is your responsibility to know the medications you are on as well as the dosages and the frequencies. Sometimes that is difficult to do. I struggle with this, and I am in the health-care field. Here are some things you can do to ensure your safety regarding medications:
- Ask your physician for a complete list of the medications he has put you on. Most offices are computerized. They should be able to print a current list for you. You can then take this list to your next doctor or specialist and they can see what medications you are taking before they prescribe a new drug. If your physician’s office is not computerized, ask them to copy the list from your chart. Before you leave the doctor’s office, review the list with your physician to ensure the list is complete, including the vitamins, herbs and supplements you are taking. Keep this list with you at all times.
- Put all of your medications in a bag and take it with you to the doctor’s office for them to review what you are taking and discuss the interactions that may occur. The key here is to just include the medications you are currently taking. Do not put into the bag all the medication bottles you can find. Clear out your medicine chest frequently. Throw away the medication bottles you are no longer taking. If your doctor is unwilling to review your medications with you, go to the least expensive, most accessible resource, your pharmacist. Well-informed people build relationships with their pharmacists. Their consultations are free and in most cases they are willing to take the time to explain the medications and answer questions you may have.
You are likely to receive your medications from a nurse. Patients should enter the hospital with an accurate list of their current medications including the dosage and the frequency that they take these medications. It is crucial for your safety and for your proper treatment to share this list with your nurse as soon as you get admitted to the hospital. Nurses and doctors in the hospital must know what medications you are on, so they can treat you appropriately and ensure there are no drug interactions.

Nurses and doctors must perform medication reconciliation when you enter the hospital, move within the hospital to a floor or unit and upon discharge from the hospital. If you have your medication sheet, present this to them in the Emergency Department. If you do not, ask a loved one to bring your medication bottles to the hospital for the nurses and doctors to review.

Also inform the nurse of any allergies you may have to medications, foods, etc. While in the hospital, you or a surrogate must take an active role in the medication process. To ensure the correct medication is being given to you, the nurse must check the armband ID that was placed on you when you were admitted to the hospital. That arm band will have your name, date of birth and your medical record number on it. The nurse must check your armband against the information on the medication order in your chart. This will help ensure you are receiving the correct medication.

If the nurse does not check your armband prior to giving the medication, you or your surrogate should stop the nurse from administering the medication and have the nurse check the medication against the armband. This small step could save your life. It is also important in your partnership with your nurse that you inform him or her of any unexpected changes in how you are feeling. If the nurse does not explain the side effects of the medications you are receiving, or does not keep you informed of changes in your medication frequency or dose, please ASK. Communicating with your health-care provider can save your life.

Deborah Cort, RN, MSN, CRRN is the Chief Nursing Officer at South Lake Hospital in Clermont, Florida