Articles written by Lindy D. Wood, PharmD
How to Avoid Medication Errors
Ideally, there would be no such thing as a medication error. Unfortunately, medication errors can occur and have the potential to be dangerous, particularly for an older person or someone taking multiple medications. People with Parkinson’s may be particularly vulnerable to medication errors, consider that their medication regimens are often complex, and their Parkinson’s or the medications they take for their Parkinson’s may interact with other medications.
There are numerous sources of medication errors, which can happen either in the community or in a hospital. Some examples of errors include poor prescriber handwriting leading to the wrong medication being filled at a pharmacy, the wrong dose of a medication being given, taking two medications that interact, or even just forgetting to take medications or having medications delayed. As a patient, you have “5 Rights” when it comes to your medications: Right Patient (you!), Right Medication, Right Dose, Right Time, and Right Route (e.g. swallowed, injected, put on the skin as a patch, etc). Whether you are managing your medications at home by yourself or with a caregiver, or you are in the hospital and a nurse is giving them to you, you can take steps to make sure you achieve these rights.
The first step to avoiding a medication error is to keep an updated, accurate medication list. When you make your list, make sure to include:
- All prescription medications AND over-the-counter medications (herbals, vitamins, supplements, medications for pain or allergies, creams, etc)
- What dose of each medicine you take (include the strength of the tablet/capsule and how many you take)
- How often you take each medicine
- Why you take each medicine (this reminds not only you and your family, but also informs healthcare providers because some medications may be used for more than one reason)
If you are unsure of how to make a list or don’t know what dose of a medicine you take or why you’re taking it, ask your pharmacist or prescriber to help you make the list. Most importantly, keep the list updated every time a change in your medicine is made. Keep a copy with you at all times and also give a copy to a family member or friend so that in an emergency, healthcare workers can quickly see what medicines you take. Helpful websites for creating a medication list include:
- www.mypillbox.org
- http://www.wapatientsafety.org/mymedicinelist/examples.html
- http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/pillcard/pillcard.htm
Aside from keeping a medication list, there are other action steps you can take to help dodge medication errors. Every time you receive a new prescription from your doctor, ask the following questions:
- What is the name of this medicine? Ask that the brand name and the generic name of the medicine are written down for you.
- Why are you prescribing this? When can I expect a benefit with this medication?
- How should I take this medicine?
Repeat these questions at the pharmacy, and make sure the bottle of medicine you receive matches up (name of the medicine, dose, and instructions on how to take it) with what you were told. Other questions to ask the pharmacist include:
- Should I take this medication at a certain time of the day?
- Should this be taken with food?
- What side effects should I watch out for?
- What happens if I forget to take a dose?
- Will this interact with any of my other medications or my Parkinson’s disease?
These questions are also important to ask when you are picking out an over-the-counter medication. In particular, some cough or cold medicines can interact with Parkinson’s medications, so it’s a good idea to ask your pharmacist for a safe recommendation.
Although we’d all prefer to stay out of the hospital, emergencies or planned procedures may warrant a visit. In addition to bringing your medication list with you to the hospital, ask your provider if you can bring in and continue taking your own medications, particularly your Parkinson’s medicines (make sure the medicines are in their original pill containers). Some hospitals will actually let you manage these medications yourself, if you’re well enough to do that.
Unfortunately, medication administration in a hospital doesn’t always coincide with the way you time your medicine at home. Make sure to tell your healthcare providers what times you take your Parkinson’s medicines and ask them what can be done to make sure you receive those on time. Occasionally a provider will write an order for you to receive your Parkinson’s medicine “as needed” (in medical language “PRN”) so that you have access to the medication when you need it and there is less delay. Explain to the nurses and doctors how important it is for you to receive your medicine on time so your body can move and function the way you need it to.
The bottom line in preventing a medication error is: Ask Questions! Don’t’ be afraid to voice your concerns or inquire about your medications. Whether you’re at home or in the hospital, stay involved in your medication management because no one knows your body like you do!