Prescriptions and common sense - read the instructions....

Did you know that the average American can only read at about a 6^th grade level – this means an average of 7 words per sentence and 2-3 syllables per word.  Shocking I know – but also works into the idea that the average American has an IQ of 100 or less (though my friend in education says it is way lower – and she wasn’t talking about the students, mostly the administration).

Now, when I say all this – I am not talking about YOU because I know you are much brighter – but here are only a few examples of what people do with their prescriptions….and all of these are true stories.

• Story 1 - Customer gets an antibiotic prescription for a child’s earache – Instructions are  “Give one teaspoon by mouth twice a day”…Customer calls back later to ask how she can keep her kids ear from getting all sticky – and  says that she is having a hard time giving a whole teaspoon.  Pharmacist knows immediately he customer has been putting the medicine into the child’s ear.….

• Story 2 - Customer gets a prescription for a suppository.  Instructions are “Unwrap suppository and insert into rectum every 6 hours as needed”.  Customer calls back later to complain that the suppositories are very uncomfortable. Pharmacist knows immediately that the caller did not UNWRAP the suppository before inserting it into the correct place….

• Story 3 - And again - customer gets a prescription for a suppository.  Instructions are “Unwrap suppository and insert into rectum every 6 hours as needed”.  Customer calls back to complain about how bad “those pills taste” or “those pills you gave me are really greasy”.  In this case the pharmacist is clear that the customer unwrapped the suppository but ate it instead.  Perhaps the customer did not know what “rectum” meant…. 

In fact, story 3 has happened with ear drops, vaginal medicine and topical medicine etc. – when the customer failed to listen to or read the instructions, then ate the medicine rather than putting it where it should go.

Actually the most common failure of medication administration is the customer that uses a teaspoon or tablespoon from the silverware drawer to give one “teaspoon” or “tablespoon” - neither of which are accurate as both give about half the medicine that is supposed to be taken.  In most cases – an oral syringe or other accurate measuring device is given by the pharmacy along with the medicine – and some doctors have started writing in milliliters to force the customer to use an accurate device.  This however, does not stop some customers of doing it wrong. FYI – if you didn’t know, a teaspoon is 5 ml (milliliters) and a tablespoon is 15 ml (or 3 teaspoons). 

• Story 4 – Customer comes in to get a prescription filled.  Pharmacist tells the customer that insurance won’t cover the prescription.  Customer becomes irate – stating that the physician prescribed it, insurance has to cover it…becoming louder and more agitated.  Pharmacist again tells customer that the insurance will not cover it and that if medicine is wanted, they will have to pay cash.  Customer says “How do you know that MY insurance won’t cover it?” and squints eyes at pharmacist who (now exasperated) says “It’s called technology”.

Actually, some of the best stories have come from my nursing and paramedic students – which are truly gross and mostly involve “lost” articles and food such as a tuna fish sandwich “lost” in the folds, a sweet potato “lost” in an orifice resulting in leaves emerging from said orifice, or a “massaging device” lost in an orifice in the “on” position…really a subject for another time…believe me there is more where that came from.