SAFETY Medications
SAFETY
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Pre scription Me dic ation You can help to prevent drug misuse, abuse and accidental poisonings by following these DOs and DON’Ts:
Medication is often an important part of managing distressing symptoms and improving quality of life. Be sure to tell your Care Team about all medications or drugs that you are using, including all prescribed by a medical provider, all “over-the- counter“ medicines that you can buy without a prescription, vitamins, supplements, herbal or homeopathic remedies, tobacco, alcohol, CBD, and/or ‘street’ drugs. It is very important to share this information with your Care Team so that they can keep the patient as safe and comfortable as possible. Medication Plan
DOs: • DO keep medications in the original container, out of sight and reach of children and pets. • DO store your medications in a secure area. Con- sider a cabinet or drawer that you can lock. • DO check the date on everything in your medicine cabinet and dispose of anything that has passed the expiration date. • DO check to see which medications need to be re- frigerated. Make sure they are stored where they will not freeze and where children cannot easily reach them.
DON’Ts: • DON’T take medications in front of children, since they tend to mimic adults. • DON’T give your medications to others or take someone else’s medications. • DON’T put different medications into one bottle. • DON’T store medications in places that are hot and humid. • DON’T take a medication that looks different (i.e. color, shape, size, etc.) than you are accustomed to without first checking with your pharmacist.
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• Your nurse will write down the patient’s medi- cations, what they are for, and when and how to give them. • Members of your team will review this plan regularly and update it as necessary. • Consider keeping the patient’s medication plan inside this manual.
• At each visit, your nurse will go over the pa- tient’s medications. You can talk about how well the medications work and any problems the patient has in taking the medications. • The nurse will want to check medication bottles to ensure the patient has the medications they need and confirm the list is correct.
Disposing of Prescription Medication Proper disposal of medications will keep you, your family, your pets, and the environment safe! It will also keep medications from being diverted and used illegally. Why do I need to properly dispose of my unused medications? Where can I properly dispose of my unused medica- t ions?
Preferred Drug List Four Seasons uses a preferred drug list. This list is routinely reviewed and approved by our medical director and a pharmacist and is current with clinical evidence about the effective and safe use of medications. If a patient is on a medication that is not on Four Seasons’ preferred drug list, your nurse and care provider will discuss changing the medication to one that is on the list. Keeping the patient comfortable and safe is our first priority. Managing Medications
It is important to dispose of drugs the right way to pre- vent someone taking them by accident, or through an illegal sale. Proper disposal also protects children and pets from harm caused by accidental ingestion.
Check to see if there are any drug take-back pro- grams near you. There is a list of local drug take- back programs on page 49 in this guide.
If there is not a local drug take-back program in my area, how can I safely dispose of medications?
• Read the labels before taking any medications. • Ask your nurse if you have any questions regard- ing how or why to use the medication. • Take medication exactly as ordered by your medi- cal provider. • Do not stop taking any medication abruptly, even if you feel it does not help. • Talk with your nurse or medical provider before stopping any medication.
• Store medications in a child-safe location accord- ing to safety and temperature guidelines recom- mended on the containers. • Refills will often be every two weeks. We do this to avoid waste since medications can change often. • Dispose of out-of-date or no longer used medi- cines safely. See below for information on how to dispose medication properly. Your Care Team can always assist, also.
Who can I talk to if I am still unsure about how to properly dispose of my unused medications? Ask your pharmacist or Care Team how to safely dispose of your medications. • Keep prescriptions in the original container. This will help identify the contents if they are acciden- tally ingested. • Before disposing, scratch out all identifying infor- mation on the prescription label to make it unread- able before throwing out a medicine container. This will help protect your identity and the privacy of your personal health information.
Note: Due to the high risk for harm, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends flushing for certain potent pain medications. A list of these medications can be found by going to the FDA’s website (fda.gov) and searching for “Disposal by Flushing.” Your Care Team also has this information readily available. • Close the lid and secure with duct or packing tape. • Place the bottle(s) inside a non-see-through con- tainer like a coffee can or detergent bottle. • Tape that container closed. • Hide the container in the trash. Do not put in the recycle bin. • Add some water or soda to pills to start dissolving them. Mix pills or liquid drugs with something that you cannot eat, like cat litter or dirt.
Tips for Taking Medications
• The patient should sit up as straight as possible and wet their mouth with a small drink of water before taking medication. • A little jam, applesauce, pudding, or ice cream on a spoon with the medications can make swal- lowing much easier (and tastier!).
• Some, but not all, medications can be crushed and given in food to make them easier to swal- low. Always consult your nurse or pharmacist first before crushing any medications.
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866.466.9734 • FourSeasonsCare.org
866.466.9734 • FourSeasonsCare.org
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