Quiz
How much do you know about medication mismanagement? Take the following quiz and find out.1. In 1983, there were 1,132 deaths due to medication mistakes. From then until 2004, how significantly has this number increased?
a) 25%
b) 100%
c) 150%
d) 700%
2. Which age group has seen the highest increase in deaths due to medication mistakes?
a) 10-20
b) 20-30
c) 30-40
d) 40-50
3. Have your patients done any of the following?
a) Taken the incorrect dose or taken a dose at the wrong time
b) Forgotten to take a dose
c) Stopped taking the medicine too soon
d) All of the above
4. How much more likely is drug error an issue for someone over 65, rather than under?
a) 2x
b) 4x
c) 5x
d) 7x
5. Why is it so important for your patients to talk with a pharmacist when picking up their prescription medication?
a) He/she can discuss potential side effects.
b) He/she can help guard against adverse interactions with your other prescriptions.
c) 83% of errors are caught during patient consultation.
d) All of the above
ANSWERS TO ALL: d)
SOURCES:
1), 2) Archives of Internal Medicine; 4) Medco Health Solutions analysis; 5) American Pharmacists Association
The questions above illustrate a number of medication mismanagement issues facing us today. As a healthcare professional, you must understand these issues, their outcomes and what their contributors are in order to avoid them. To ensure your safety, talk to the pharmacist handling your prescribed medications about these and other potential medication errors – he or she understands how medication mismanagement occurs and can be prevented. Even a five-minute conversation can significantly reduce your patient’s chances of having an adverse drug reaction.
