As the number of medications available to patients continues to grow and older Americans increasingly find themselves managing multiple prescriptions, understanding what each medication does and how it should be taken is an important part of staying safe.
“Patients can sometimes find medication instructions difficult to manage, particularly when several prescriptions must be taken for different reasons and at different times,” Candy Muldowney, MSN, RN, OCN, HLS of ChristianCare Patient & Family Health Education, said. “Understanding your medicines can be hard. You might take them fro several reasons, at different times of the day and knowing how to take them can be confusing.”
One problem healthcare professionals encounter is patients who recognize their medications by appearance rather than by name or purpose. A patient may know to take “the little white pill” or “two pink pills” with breakfast without understanding what those medications actually do.
“If you have trouble understanding why you are taking a medicine, it can also be hard tok know what medicine your provider has prescribed you and its purpose, Greg O’Neill, MSN, APRN, AGCNS-BC, also from ChristianaCare Patient & Family Health Education, said.
Patients should ask questions whenever they are uncertain about a prescription. Those questions can include what the medication does, its most common side effects, when it should be taken, what to do after missing a dose and whether there are foods or beverages that should be avoided.
Patients should also understand which symptoms or side effects warrant contacting their healthcare provider.
Remembering when to take medication can present another challenge, especially for people taking several medications a day. Some medications need to be taken at particular times to produce intended results, making it important for patients to understand not only how much medicine to take but when to take it.
Simple organizational tools can help. Both Muldowney and O’Neill recommend using a pill organizer, creating a written schedule or calendar and taking medications at the same time each day when the prescription instructions allow it. Patients should also stay on top of prescription refills and ask a family member, caregiver or healthcare professional for assistance when needed.
Patients shouldn’t be afraid to tell a healthcare provider when instructions are confusing. Muldowney and O’Neill encourage patients to receive medication information in a way they understand and then explain these instructions back to their provider in their own words.
For a new prescription, for example, a patient could explain when and why they intend to take the medication and which potential side effects they will watch for. Doing so gives the healthcare professional an opportunity to identify and correct misunderstandings before the patient leaves the office.
Maintaining an up-to-date list of medications can also improve safety. Patients should bring that list to healthcare appointments and make sure their providers know about the medications they are talking.
Old medications should be properly discarded, while current prescriptions should be stored according to label directions and kept away from children. Most should be stored in a cool, dry location unless the medication has specific storage requirements. Language should not be a barrier to understanding medication instructions, either. Patients can request printed information in their preferred language or ask for an interpreter when necessary.
“Asking questions about your medicines and ensuring you understand the instructions will keep you safe,” Muldowney said.
Understanding a prescription means knowing more than which pill to take. Knowing tis name, purpose, dosage, timing, potential side effects and what to do when a dose is missed can help patients take a more active role in managing their health.
