People who take medications have to ensure that they are getting the correct ones. This is especially important if you are in the hospital or must depend on another person to bring you’re the medicines you take on a regular basis. One thing that you have to remember is that you do have the right to know exactly what you are being given. You should examine your pills to be sure that they are the ones you usually take.
If you notice that some medications don’t look familiar, be sure to ask. It could be just a different generic version of the same meds, but it could also be something else entirely. No medical professional should ever mind a patient asking questions when they think something is wrong.
All nurses should use the five rights of medication administration. These include making sure that they are giving the medicine to the right patient, that they are giving the correct drug, that they are giving the right dosage, that they are giving it via the correct method, and that they are giving it at the right time. Unless and until all five of these are met, the medication shouldn’t be given.
Medication errors do occur, and people can suffer great harm when this happens. It isn’t up to the patients to stop the errors from happening, but self-advocating can be one step toward avoiding issues. If you are harmed by medication errors, be sure that you explore your right to seek compensation. A personal injury attorney can advise you of your rights and responsibilities in the matter.