Medications & Travel
Training
ATI Conference 2015
Presenters
 Jessica Perez
MTM Travel Trainer
Certified Pharmacy Tech
 Pam Canavan
MTM Travel Trainer
Certified Pharmacy Tech
Medications & Side Effects
 All medications may have side
effects, but not all patients will
experience them
• Some side effects may not
be bothersome
• Other side effects may cause the patient to stop taking
the medication
 Sometimes not taking a medication can also cause
side effects
Hypertension/High Blood Pressure
Medication Side Effects
 Dizziness &
lightheadedness
 Feeling totally wiped
out with no energy
 Patients may take their
medications (especially
water pills) in the
morning before training
 Doctors often tweak
medication levels
• May lead to ongoing
problems with dizziness
Stroke
Medication Side Effects
 Numbness & tingling
throughout body
 Difficulty moving
 Increased bleeding
 Joint/muscle aches
Chronic Pain
Medication Side Effects
 Disorientation
 Sedation, especially for patients taking a pain/muscle
relaxant/anti-depressant cocktail
 Feeling loopy with an inability to concentrate or focus
 Euphoria, delirium, or hallucinations
 Dizziness
 Respiratory depression
Diabetes
Medication Side Effects
 Type 1 v. Type 2 diabetes
 Dizziness in patients
 Must make sure trainee
taking insulin until correct
has sufficient injectable
dosage is attained
insulin for training time
 Dizziness occurs less
often with oral meds, but
headaches & upset
stomach can occur
Depression/Bipolar Disorder
Medication Side Effects
 Sedation
 Blurred vision
 Emotional leveling
• May not be able to
respond to an emergency
 Inability to concentrate
 Manic behavior
ADHD
Medication Side Effects
 Headaches & upset stomach
 Trouble sleeping, irritability & tics
 Can cause trainee to be less focused with extra
energy if dosage or medication is incorrect
 Not taking medication on time or skipping a day
may make trainee less focused
Schizophrenia/Schizoaffective
Medication Side Effects
 Extreme drowsiness
 Blurred vision
 Muscle spasms or tremors
 Rapid heartbeat
 Sun sensitivity
Gout/Arthritis
Medication Side Effects
 Muscle weakness
 Numbness & tingling
 Fever, chills & body aches
 Gout medications may cause side effects worse than
a gout attack
 NSAID side effects include upset stomach, dizziness,
drowsiness & increased bleeding
Neuropathy
Medication Side Effects
 Drowsiness
 Numbness & tingling
 Loss of balance
Migraines & Headaches
Medication Side Effects
 Fatigue
 Difficulty thinking & trouble functioning
 Serotonin syndrome may occur if taken with
other prescriptions
 Trainee may not be able to train if they didn’t take
medicine early enough
Seizure Disorder
Medication Side Effects
 Drowsiness or fatigue
 Poor coordination
 Loss of strength
 Dizziness
Parkinson’s Disease
Medication Side Effects
 Hallucinations or illusions
 Involuntary movements/tics
 Fatigue
 Confusion
Infections (Antibiotics)
Medication Side Effects
 Upset stomach
 Sun sensitivity
 Allergic reactions such as hives & swelling of lips,
face, or tongue
 Fainting
Contact Information & Questions
 Jessica Perez
jperez@mtm-inc.net
904-540-6980
 Pam Canavan
pcanavan@mtm-inc.net
352-409-0943