Wednesday, August 19, 2009
I haven't quite hit my stride with this blog yet. I always have things to share it's just that by the time I arrive home from work and get dinner out of the way I'm spent!
Many of the elderly patients we see bring a spouse, a sibling, or one of their children with them to their appointments. This is usually a good thing because it's another set of ears to hear the doctor's recommendation for treatment or to hear any changes to the patients medication.
I am always pleased to see a grandchild, or great-grandchild, accompanying their grandparent to their appointment because it reminds me of my own grandparents and how, if they were still alive today, I would have done the same thing.
Something I cannot stress enough is the having a current list of medications. It doesn't matter which doctor prescribed the medication, we just need a current list of every tablet, capsule, inhaler, and liquid ~ including over the counter vitamins, minerals, and calcium ~ that crosses the patients lips. It is extremely difficult for us to check for contraindications for a medication if we do not have an up-to-date list of drugs.
Many of the elderly patients we see bring a spouse, a sibling, or one of their children with them to their appointments. This is usually a good thing because it's another set of ears to hear the doctor's recommendation for treatment or to hear any changes to the patients medication.
I am always pleased to see a grandchild, or great-grandchild, accompanying their grandparent to their appointment because it reminds me of my own grandparents and how, if they were still alive today, I would have done the same thing.
Something I cannot stress enough is the having a current list of medications. It doesn't matter which doctor prescribed the medication, we just need a current list of every tablet, capsule, inhaler, and liquid ~ including over the counter vitamins, minerals, and calcium ~ that crosses the patients lips. It is extremely difficult for us to check for contraindications for a medication if we do not have an up-to-date list of drugs.