Tips for Surviving a Hospital Stay

[Sangye]

I saw this article on CNN.com and thought it would help all of us stay alive in the hospital.

I always check every single drug they give me, every time they bring it. I make sure I recognize the pills, read the name on them, and look at the time. I also ask to see the packet from the hospital pharmacy for each one, that shows the name and dosage.

I've had so many wrong drugs and wrong dosages brought to me, I wouldn't be here if I hadn't been checking. I've had nurses bring more drugs (IV or oral) after the doctor discontinued them. I've had them insist I had to take something on an empty stomach that had to be taken with food or it would cause stomach damage. I've also had to miss doses either because the nurse was too busy or the pharmacy didn't send them on time. During one hospital stay, they gave me a drug at TEN TIMES my usual dose, and they did it two days in a row! These were all mistakes that happened in otherwise excellent hospitals.

Make sure you check them yourself. Don't assume your family/friends/visitors are checking it. People can be very passive and too embarrassed to ask on your behalf.

[Doug]

Brilliant, Sangye! I agree with the whole thing! I note that it recommends pretty much what we've been harping on over and over about patients taking charge of the care. Excellent contribution. I wish I'd seen it first! Ha!

[Jack]

I've no idea what precautions are taken elsewhere, but here in the UK they seem to be doing their best to avoid mistakes. They can still happen though and it is best to take on some of the responsibility as suggested.

When admitted to hospital, you are immediatly fitted with a wrist band giving your name, number etc.

Everyone who gives any treatment confirms your identity first.

All drug dispensing (and the issuing at the pharmacy) is checked by a second person. They even check inside the packets to confirm the description on the box.

There may well be other stuff going on in the background, but these are the things I have noticed as a patient.

[Luce]

Jack I stayed in two hospitals, as I was transferred to another for plasmapheresis. Only at the second hospital was I given a wristband with a barcode on it, the first hospital still used the old fashioned write on bands.

The only problem I had with drugs was a rather ditsy nurse who was doing the drug trolley round and had taken and signed my chart to say I'd received the drugs. Then she ran off to answer her mobile phone and when she came back she moved on to the next patient. I had to convince her that she didn't actually dispense the drugs to me, all she'd done is sign the chart.

Other than human error the system usually works - when I received blood I kn ow it scanned out of the bank, scanned on arrival to the ward and then I was scanned to say I'd received it.

[Sangye]

We have the wristband/barcode thing here, too (in some hospitals, at least). It's probably fixed a lot of errors, but sometimes I think it gives patients and nurses a false sense of security. All the mistakes I've seen have been due to human error. Recording the wrong drug/dosage at admission means the barcode will match wrong data.

Also, one of my drugs has to be given in a time-release form, which is not available in generic. It's not a common drug, so none of the hospitals ever have it. I always bring my own. Even though I tell them this at admission (and they already have me in the system), they still always hand me the generic. If I took it, my brain pressure would rise by the next day.

I don't know what happens when drugs are delivered even though they were stopped by the doc. Maybe the nurse already had them at the station, maybe the doctor's order crossed paths.

All the staff (nurses, transfer techs, etc...) all ask your name, dob, and check it on your wristband, too. Yet I've still had staff show up to draw blood twice in day (only ordered once), or want to take me for a test when I know it was canceled. Pretty scary stuff.

[jola57]

I missed you guys. Wristbands, doublechecks, markings of surgery sites and questions are a standard of care every hospital employs but mistakes are made. Any precaution is only as good as the person using it. As per Luce's ditzy nurse, mistakes can and are made. Sangye I am surprised that a generic drug is so much different than a brand name, they are one and the same. It may be that it is a filler that makes you sick and so may be woth your while to find out composition of the fillers from the brand name and generic. As this is a life threatning reaction the pharmaceutical companies should be receptive to give you a hand. This may prevent others from having such a reaction and saving a life.

[Sangye]

Hi Jolanta,
I've been thinking about you and was gonna post "Where are you?" today!

The brand name (Diamox) is time-released, but the generic isn't. Even when I take the same dosage the generic just doesn't stay in my body long enough to work well.

I also take brand name coumadin, because I had a hard time balancing my INR on generic. My hematologist said there's enough of a difference between brand and generic for drugs like coumadin (ie, drugs that require precise balancing) to throw me off. Once I switched to brand, no more problem balancing it!

[Jack]

Sangye just likes taking "Designer" drugs so that she can flash the label!

[Sangye]

Yes, I'm totally into looks these days.

Really, I think it's a perfect example of how the body follows the mind. In my case : picky, picky, picky....

[jola57]

Thas is a "bummer". Just wondered, do you have to pay for all medication yourself or do you have an insurance. As wonderful as Canada is I do not have an extra private insurance and so all my drugs I have to pay for, even tha cancer ones, since I do not have cancer.