a note about medication in the hospital

[Guest guest]

I forgot to mention this yesterday, but I wanted to remind everyone that when it

comes time to take pills in the hospital, everyone should INSIST on seeing the

pills in their packages with the dose written clearly on the outside. This

should not be seen as insulting to the doctor or nurse, but is absolutely in

your best interest. And if you're too sick to check yourself, have a friend or

family member there checking for you. Question any new medication or dose

change.

I was hospitalized for a whole 2 days this week, and during those two days,

the staff attempted to give me the wrong dose of medication THREE TIMES!!

Twice was half what I was supposed to get (50 mg atenelol v. 100 mg), but once

was 300 mg Rhythmol instead of 225 mg. If I had not been diligent I would have

simply popped them without question.. who knows what this would have done!

During other hospital stays I have also been almost double dosed with other

drugs... usually the antiarrhythnmics.. one time with injectable heparin!!

I called the hospital this time and reported the errors, but it just made me

realize that as with learning here, we are our own advocates in all avenues of

our medical care and should be diligent and questioning at all times.

stef

[Guest guest]

Dear Stef

I can only agree with your statements. The most common incident reported in

any hospital is medication errors. There are many reasons for the error. They

can be as simple as being interrupted while give out medication, not being able

to read the doctors writing or using trade names of the drug. No one makes an

error intentionally but it does happen. Sometimes it can result in harm for the

person receiving the medication other times the error can be easily corrected.

It is best as patients we know the medications we are taking and what they look

like. I would refuse to take anything you do not recognise. It is good to be

reminded of this every now and then. Thankyou Stef for bringing it to our

attention.

Regards

Lynda

Quarter Acre Orchids quarteracreorchids@...> wrote:

I forgot to mention this yesterday, but I wanted to remind everyone that when

it comes time to take pills in the hospital, everyone should INSIST on seeing

the pills in their packages with the dose written clearly on the outside. This

should not be seen as insulting to the doctor or nurse, but is absolutely in

your best interest. And if you're too sick to check yourself, have a friend or

family member there checking for you. Question any new medication or dose

change.

" snip "

[Guest guest]

I'm sure there are many of us with horror stories to tell. I was hospitalized

for abdominal pain. One morning a nurse came in with a cheery " I've got your

" shot " .

I had already received my lovenox and asked " what shot? " She said " your

insulin " .

I am not a diabetic and I was NPO (nothing by mouth). If I had not been able

to question her I'd be dead.

Always have someone with you if you think you aren't able to be your own

monitor of your care!

Lynda Moynahan lyndamoynahan@...> wrote:

Dear Stef

I can only agree with your statements. The most common incident reported in

any hospital is medication errors. There are many reasons for the error. They

can be as simple as being interrupted while give out medication, not being able

to read the doctors writing or using trade names of the drug. No one makes an

error intentionally but it does happen. Sometimes it can result in harm for the

person receiving the medication other times the error can be easily corrected.

It is best as patients we know the medications we are taking and what they look

like. I would refuse to take anything you do not recognise. It is good to be

reminded of this every now and then. Thankyou Stef for bringing it to our

attention.

Regards

Lynda

Quarter Acre Orchids quarteracreorchids@...> wrote:

I forgot to mention this yesterday, but I wanted to remind everyone that when

it comes time to take pills in the hospital, everyone should INSIST on seeing

the pills in their packages with the dose written clearly on the outside. This

should not be seen as insulting to the doctor or nurse, but is absolutely in

your best interest. And if you're too sick to check yourself, have a friend or

family member there checking for you. Question any new medication or dose

change.

" snip "

[Guest guest]

What an interesting thread. While in the hospital I was washed out of flecainide

to be placed on Sotolol. They didn't discontine the beta blocker, Toprolol,

which I was on. During the night my heart rate went down to 40 something.

Fortunately this didn't effect me. The next AM the doc said, oh I thought we had

taken you off Toprolol. No wonder your heart rate dropped. It turned out the

Sotolol has strong beta blocade action. Now with the internet the nurses can

print out information on meds, and this is helpful.

Carroll carroll_chris2@...> wrote: I'm sure there are many of

us with horror stories to tell. I was hospitalized for abdominal pain. One

morning a nurse came in with a cheery " I've got your " shot " .

I had already received my lovenox and asked " what shot? " She said " your

insulin " .

I am not a diabetic and I was NPO (nothing by mouth). If I had not been able

to question her I'd be dead.

Always have someone with you if you think you aren't able to be your own

monitor of your care!

Lynda Moynahan lyndamoynahan@...> wrote:

Dear Stef

I can only agree with your statements. The most common incident reported in

any hospital is medication errors. There are many reasons for the error. They

can be as simple as being interrupted while give out medication, not being able

to read the doctors writing or using trade names of the drug. No one makes an

error intentionally but it does happen. Sometimes it can result in harm for the

person receiving the medication other times the error can be easily corrected.

It is best as patients we know the medications we are taking and what they look

like. I would refuse to take anything you do not recognise. It is good to be

reminded of this every now and then. Thankyou Stef for bringing it to our

attention.

Regards

Lynda

Quarter Acre Orchids quarteracreorchids@...> wrote:

I forgot to mention this yesterday, but I wanted to remind everyone that when

it comes time to take pills in the hospital, everyone should INSIST on seeing

the pills in their packages with the dose written clearly on the outside. This

should not be seen as insulting to the doctor or nurse, but is absolutely in

your best interest. And if you're too sick to check yourself, have a friend or

family member there checking for you. Question any new medication or dose

change.

" snip "

[Guest guest]

You are so right about checking your medication and having someone there to

check it when you can't.

When I was in what I consider the best hospital I have ever been in--USC Norris

in Los Angeles, a staff member cheerily came in to put a medication with

something I was allergic to in my IV. She did it so fast, that she actually got

some of it in me before my husband could stop her.

The staff then put up a sign over my bed about what medication I could not have.

One time at another hospital they came in to give me an epilepsy drug when I

have never had epilepsy. And on and on.

Jo Anne