‘Patient Safety’ is becoming a widely used term within the healthcare community. This is the term applied to anything from preventing patients from falling in a dialysis unit, to receiving the wrong medications. Basically, anything that jeopardizes your health and welfare. There are many programs being initiated to help prevent poor safety issues but it also takes us, as patients, to watch for such problems.

Awhile ago, I was in the hospital for an infection. I had carefully gone over my medications with the nurse and for the first two days everything went smoothly. Then the morning I was to be discharged, the nurse came into my room with my morning meds that include my immunosuppressive medication, Sandimune Cyclosporine. Most transplant patients are no longer on this drug, but since I was transplanted 22 years ago, it is the drug that has provided the best outcomes for me. In the 1990s, a new drug emerged call Neoral, whose generic name was also cyclosporine. They are dosed completely differently; meaning the 400 mg I take of Sandimune would equate to another dosage with the newer generic drug. The nurse proceeded to open a package of the generic Neoral. I explained to her it was not my medication. She wasn’t pleased with me and explained that this was what the pharmacy had sent to the floor so it must be right. “Nope,” I said. Different package, different name, different look to the pill. “Are you refusing it?” She inquired. “Yes, it’s not correct.” She proceeded to tell me I would be checking out within an hour and I could take my “correct” medication at home, later in the day. This episode really bothered me. What if I hadn’t been discharged that morning? What if I had taken a different dose of the medication?

Most likely, this medication mishap would not have hurt me or damaged my transplanted kidney. But I have had medication errors that could have been disastrous. One time, upon arriving home after picking up my meds from the pharmacy, I looked at my blood pressure medicine. The bottle had the correct drug listed, with the correct dosage, but with closer inspection, I found the pills to be different. They were double the dose I usually take. That could have caused some real problems.

How often have you seen a nurse or tech not wash their hands or not put on gloves? Did you say anything? It’s funny when we are in the “patient” mode we tend to let things go so as not to upset the nurse. Next time ask why they didn’t wash their hands. Maybe in the business of the day they just forgot and could use a gentle reminder.

I’m deathly allergic to Lasix and state this every time I am about to undergo any procedure. I then always ask what the medication is that is being administered. You should too. Just say to the healthcare worker, “What is the name of this drug and what is it for?”

In the next several months, AAKP will be providing you with more ways to ensure your safety. One good way is to keep all of your medical information on AAKP My Health™. This way, you always have a list of your medications, your test results and a record of your healthcare providers. Sometimes, we are too ill to provide the information verbally and handing a sheet to the doctor or nurse is much simpler. Believe me, as a migraine sufferer who sometimes needs to get a shot to stop the pain and nausea, I don’t often feel like spelling all my medications and remembering who my doctors are.

Remember, you are in charge of your healthcare. No one will care as much as you about your outcomes. Ask questions, provide information and watch the procedures as they are being done. It can make a big difference in your life!