Basics of

Medication Safety

Welcome and
Introductions

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

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
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Get warmed up!!

Overview of
Medication Safety

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
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You

are given too much of a

medication while in hospital

You

receive a medication that you

know you are allergic to

Where can medication

incidents occur?
At

your doctors 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!
Its

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!
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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
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Videos:

Intro to Know and Show Your Medica

tion Card

How to fill in and use the Medication

Card
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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?
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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
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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

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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
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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
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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
o Report 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.hc-sc.gc.ca/dhp-mps/medeff/re
port-declaration/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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