Who Knows About Drugs?
I interviewed my sister, my mom, and my dad asking them about the medications they usually take. I was surprised both at what they knew versus what they needed more teaching on.
(They look so colorful! Who knew there was so much to know about them?)
My sister: My sister takes vitamins and birth control pills. When asked if she knew how they work to prevent pregnancy she was unsure, stating she “had been told 3 times and still not quite sure.” So she learned how they work by preventing ovulation and changing the uterine lining. She named some side effects, such as weight changes, mood swings, and potential skin changes. I gave her more information on additional side effects, especially pointing out the risk for blood clots, which she was not aware of either. She did know about potential interactions of birth control and other items, such as grapefruit, but I let her know also about medications such as certain antibiotics that would require the use of additional birth control methods.
My mom and dad: My mom is a nurse, so I expected that she would know about medications she takes. She only uses albuterol and corticosteroid inhalers when needed for asthma. She was able to state the correct steps in using them, such as coordinating the MDI with inhalation, holding your breath for 10 seconds, and rinsing your mouth after the corticosteroid. I was surprised when asking my dad about the medications he takes, which includes OTC Tums, Tylenol when needed, and Prilosec. He explained how Tums work to neutralize the hydrochloric acid in the stomach, how Tylenol can cause liver damage, especially with alcohol. He answered almost every question I had correctly. I did remind him though to check other medication labels for acetaminophen to make sure he didn’t combine multiple drugs with Tylenol.
It can be easy to forget in the healthcare profession how other people do not get the same education regarding medications that we do. Things that seem so common sense to us now are not that way to others. I think it emphasizes the importance to educate our patients on the medications they are taking as we are giving them. It is something that has been engrained in us now since pharmacology, however it never hurts to survey people every now and then to see how much they really know.
