PREVENT MEDICATION ERRORS

A Guide to Safely Using Medication.

When you use a medicine or help others use theirs, you become part of the drug therapy chain. We all have come to trust in this chain. We trust that the right medicine is prescribed, dispensed, and administered by our doctors, pharmacists, and nurses. As a Partnership Program member or a caregiver, your responsibility is to make sure that you understand what the medicine is for, how it looks, how it should be taken, what results to expect, and what to do if you don’t see those results. Double-checking information about a medicine must occur every time you are given a medicine to help keep errors at an absolute minimum. This includes reading the label before each use to make sure you have the right drug and dose/amount.

Everyone can help to prevent medication errors. Here are some things you can do as a Partnership Program member to help protect your health:

1. Remember to always tell your physician about any medications you may be taking, including over-the-counter, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
2. Ask for information about your medications. Make sure you:
   • Know the exact spelling and purpose of the drug and whether it is a brand or generic drug.
   • Know about any side effects or drug interactions, and what to do if they occur.
   • Know how and when to take the medication.
   • Know how long you should take the medication.
   • Know what to do if you forget a dose.
3. Please read the information your pharmacist gives you about the medication. If you have additional questions, you can call your Partnership team.
4. Never share prescription medications or take medications prescribed for someone else.
5. Check the expiration dates on all medications and throw away those that have expired.
6. Keep all medications out of the reach of children.
7. Ask your doctor, your pharmacist, or your Partnership team about questions you may have concerning your medicine or side effects you think you may be experiencing.