Hospitals giving meds on time

[valeriedl]

Any time I go into the hospital I take a list of all the meds I take, doses and what time I take them. It seems that the hospital likes to just give me my meds when ever they think I should take them.

I take my meds at 7am, 2pm and 7pm. If I don't take my meds on time I WILL have a seizure.

I was in the hospital recently and saw it was 8am and I hadn't gotten my meds yet. I rang for the nurse and she said that my paper work said I take my meds at 10am, 4pm and 10pm.

She saw the paper that I had typed out with all my info on it and got my meds for me. For the three days that I was in the hospital I had to do it each time to take my meds.

Another time I was in the hospital, it was the day I was being released. I don't know how many times I rang for the nurse but didn't get my meds until 10:30am. I had 2 seizures that evening.

My dr always tells me to take my meds and take them on time. Guess that doesn't count if you're in the hospital.

Does anyone else have problems like this?

The first thing drs tell you is to take your meds and take them on time but I guess that doesn't matter if you're in the hospital.

 

[Endless]

Yes.

They put on the chart when you'll get your meds but you are at the mercy of the pharmacy's schedule, the nursing schedule, etc. If you have your doctor write the dosage times clearly in his orders at the hospital, and note they must be on time, you have a much better chance of getting your meds on time.

- In one case I missed a round of doses. This was due to pharmacy error. They were late processing everything.

- In one case I got none of my meds whatsoever from the hospital (except a temporary new pain med) for the duration of my 24 hour stay. My doctor had a copy of my med list, and the hospital took a copy during pre-admission. It's not like they didn't have it. I had brought a supply of my own but that would have required the pharmacy come down and verify them, then dispense them. The pharmacist was called twice by the nursing staff but never came.

- In one case my meds were absolutely on time, but the nurse couldn't identify what was two naked pills in a naked little cup and since they were a different generic, neither could I. So who knows what they could have been. I have no idea why they arrived in my room loose in a cup. They are usually either in individual pill bubble/blister packs in a thingy with your name on it or a closed container with the drug name and your name on it. I sent them back for new ones. When they arrived they were still identified in their little separate pill bubble pack. It was worth it to me to be late with the doses. FYI in most hospitals the nurse is supposed to go over with you each pill she's giving you, when she gives it to you. Extra safety layer.

- Everything else related to drugs and the hospital has gone well for me. (I think. Hard to tell if your zapped out)

Medication errors are one of the biggest safety issues in hospitals. There are so many places things can go wrong.

 

[momof3boys]

Heck ive had problems with hospitals and them giving me the wrong drugs! In March when I had my VEEG done, I brought all three medications with me. My Keppra XR, Carbatrol ER, and Glucophage XR (which I take for PCOS) I clearly told the nurse several times, that I couldnt have any generic of the medications, especially the Glucophage. I tried the metformin 12 years ago, when they first prescribed it to me, and it was the worst experience ever! Lets just say I couldnt leave the house without having a huge mess in my pants! NOT A GOOD THING! Anyways, I was admited on a monday morning, and I take my glucophage before dinner, so around 6pm. By tuesday morning, I was having horriable pain in my stomach, and always needing to use the bathroom. I finally asked the nurse on Tuesday night if what they were giving me was the glucophage xr? She looked at my chart and said "Metformin".... yeap... even after I told them over and over again, I couldnt have it! When she checked the hospital pharmacy, they didnt even have the name brand, glucophage xr! So they had to take my medication bottle I brought from home, and label it and take it with them while I was there for them to use and give me my own medication I brought! How in the world they can give me a medication I told them so many times I couldnt have, is beyond me! Its scary to think if a patient walks into the hospital with the bottle of drugs to even show them the name of it, and they turn around and give you something different, what could have happened if it was a seizure drug or something else? Im just glad I didnt have a worse reaction to it!

 

[valeriedl]

I know when I do get my meds they always tell me "These are probably going to look different than the ones you normally take because they come from a different company" How am I going to tell the difference if that's what they are telling me.

Guess I'm going to have to start checking the paperwork that comes from the pharmacy to make sure I'm getting the right meds now.

 

[Endless]

Each pill should be labeled by the pharmacy, Valerie. Often times they are dispensed by a big drug vending machine type thing. Med orders are automated in the system and definitely individually labeled when dispensed by the machine.

If it's done by hand and the hospital pharmacy does not label each pill then it's highly unusual. Most world-standard hospitals do these days. If each pill isn't labeled, ask. The nurse may just be removing them from packaging before coming into the room (which would also be against most hospitals' protocols and a huge safety issue). Nurses have a fair amount of education. So it always surprises me when they do something dumb. I guess they are human like everyone else.

 

[valeriedl]

This last time I was in the hospital (it wasn't for anything related to epilepsy) she just gave me my pills in a little cup.

I think the first time she told me what each pill was and said that they probably look different than the ones that I take, but how was I to really know if that was what the pill really was. I don't even think that she knew what each pill was to be honest with you because she just pushed the pills around in the cup saying what they were. I think she even said "I think this is the Tegretol" After that she just brought the pills in the little cup and gave them to me.

The time though that the hospital gave me my pills almost 4 hours late was a little extream in my opinion. I was being released that morning so I don't know if that had anything to do with it or not. Like I said I had 2 horrible seizures that night.

 

[Endless]

I can see why you were so upset with them. I would have been, too.

It's also possible it wasn't the nurses - your hospital was behind the curve when it comes to patient safety and doesn't label their meds. Maybe some of them still operate that way. Amazing.