Medication Knowledge

So I actually found some humor in doing this assignment because I knew how clueless my family is regarding the medications they take. I think this sums it all up: “Isn’t tylenol and Advil the same thing!?” The first person I decided to question was my mom because she was my nurse growing up and continues to be my nurse to this day. I did a simple assessment and asked her regarding tylenol, Advil and Alendronate (which she takes for osteoporosis). She knew that both tylenol and Advil can be taken to reduce fever and pain. She did not know what was the maximum daily dose or frequency at which it should be given. Unfortunately she could not identify one side effect of either medication! I asked her if she knows the signs of an allergic reaction and she replied that you sneeze a lot (good thing I was not really allergic to these medications!). I was actually proud that she knew to take her Alendronate on an empty stomach and that it is only taken once a week. She could not identify any side effect. I also decided to interview my dad as I live in a household with only 3 people. My dad is currently only taking one medication because he chooses not to visit his doctor on a regular basis. When I asked him regarding common OTC medications he was as clueless as my mom, perhaps even a little more. He believed that tylenol was another name for Advil and that the only difference was the dosage strength! I think I just found another great reason why I chose to be a nurse.