Basics of
Medication Safety
Welcome and
Introductions
2
Presentation Goals
To raise your awareness of:
how you can help improve patient safety
 safe medication use practices
 the value of working with your
pharmacist

3
Topics
• Overview of medication safety
• Engage in patient safety!
• Keep a current medication list
• Know your medications
• Store and dispose of medications safely
• Report and learn from medication
incidents
4
Get warmed up!!
5
Overview of
Medication Safety
6
Why is Medication Safety
Important?

Medication incidents can happen

Everyone has a role to play in
preventing harm from medication
incidents
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Examples of medication
incidents

Your medication container from the
pharmacy contains the wrong
medication

You take the same medication twice in
the same day by accident
8

You are given too much of a
medication while in hospital

You receive a medication that you
know you are allergic to
9
Where can medication
incidents occur?

At your doctor’s office when a
medication is prescribed

At your pharmacy
◦ When a prescription is filled
◦ When you select an over the
counter medication

In your home, when you take or use
the medication
Where can medication
incidents occur?

In the hospital, when medications
are ordered or prepared by the
pharmacy

At your bedside, when medications
are given/taken
Engage in Patient
Safety!
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You can help improve
medication safety

Patients are the best source of
information on the medications they are
taking

Be involved in medication safety - there
are lots of ways to do this!

Ask questions!
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Be involved in patient
safety!

It’s Safe to Ask!

S.A.F.E. Toolkit

S.A.F.E. Patients Blog

Patient Advocate Form

Patient Values and Partnerships
www.safetoask.ca
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Keep a
Medication List
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Keep a Current Medication
List
List:
 what you are actually taking
 how you are taking it
 why you are taking it
As a patient, YOU are the best source
of information on the medications you
are taking!
16
Keep a Current Medication
List
List:
 regularly used and “as needed”
◦ prescription medications
 pills, ointments, creams, liquids
◦ non-prescription medications
◦ vitamins, herbal, natural products
 dosages and strength (eg: 1 x 500 mg
tablet)
 how and when you take the medication
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A current medication list
helps:
you learn about your medications
 you take your medications correctly
 your doctors, nurses and pharmacists
know about your medications
 in an emergency

Get a list of current medications when you move
from one setting of care to another 18
Videos:
Intro to Know and Show Your
Medication Card
How to fill in and use the
Medication Card
19
Know Your
Medications
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Know Your Medications
Check name and purpose of medications
when you:
• get a prescription
• fill a prescription
• are given medications
Your community pharmacist can
help you!
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How to Read a Prescription
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At appointments, ask your
doctor or nurse:
1. What is my health problem?
2. What do I need to do?
3. Why do I need to do this?
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In the hospital – 5 “Rights”
Right:
• patient name
• medication name (generic and/or
brand)
• dose (amount)
• time of day to be taken
• route (by mouth, onto skin, etc.)
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At hospital discharge, ask:
What medications have changed since
I came into hospital?
• Ask:
◦What medications are:
continued as before?
stopped?
changed?
new?
◦Did my dose change?
25
At hospital discharge and
at the pharmacy, ask:
• what is the medication name? (spell it)
• why do I need it?
• I have allergies – will I have a reaction
to this medication?
• when and how should I take it?
• how should I measure a liquid?
• will it interact with other medications I
am taking?
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At hospital discharge and
at the pharmacy, ask:
 what will it do?
 what are the side effects?
 how long should I take it?
 what do I do if I miss a dose?
 does my refill look the same as before?
 are there “extra labels” on the container?
 how do I store it?
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How to Read a Prescription
Label
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Auxiliary Labels
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Auxiliary Labels
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Auxiliary Labels
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Know Your Medications –
More TIPS




Use the same pharmacy
Ask your pharmacist how to take
medications until you understand
Ask before you cut, split, crush or open
a pill or capsule
Take with water, not juice; unless told
other wise by your healthcare provider
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Know Your Medications –
More TIPS




If dose is more than 3 pills at once, check
Do not share your medications
Give your contact information and an
emergency contact
Check when medications “expire” (best
before date).
ASK QUESTIONS
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DOUBLE CHECK!!
Get information on how to take the
medication…
THEN
Tell your pharmacist your
understanding of how to take the
medication
34
Know your
non-prescription medications

Vitamins, herbs, natural health products,
“over the counter” medications

Tell your doctor and pharmacist
what non-prescription medications you are
taking.

A bad interaction with prescription
medication or a medical condition may
cause harm
35
Storing and
Disposing of
Medications
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Store Medications Safely
● Store
medications:
◦ securely (e.g. locked cabinet)
◦ in an area free of excess heat, cold
and moisture (some exceptions)
● Leave medications in original labelled
containers
● Do not mix medications in same
container
37
Dispose of Medications
Safely
● Return
unused or out of date
medications to your pharmacy
● If
using needles to inject
medication, get a biohazard
container from your pharmacy
38
Report and Learn
from Medication
Incidents
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Report and Learn
from Medication Incidents

Inform healthcare providers if you feel a
medication incident has occurred

Reporting incidents helps get to the root
of the problem
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Reporting Medication
Incidents
● Report:
o Medication incidents to
• your healthcare provider, and
• ISMP Canada online at
www.SafeMedicationUse.ca or tollfree at 1-866-544-7672
oReport critical incidents to your Regional
Health Authority
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Reporting Adverse Drug
Reactions
Adverse drug reactions are not related
to the healthcare provided
 Report adverse drug reactions to the
Canada Vigilance Program

◦ Either by mail, fax, telephone or online
◦ For details see: http://www.hcsc.gc.ca/dhp-mps/medeff/reportdeclaration/index-eng.php#a1
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Summary
and
Evaluation
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Children and Teens
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High Alert Medications
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Seniors
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Travelling with Medications
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