Medication Administration

What can you expect regarding your medications while in the hospital?

1. All medications entering the hospital with you must be sent to Pharmacy or preferably sent home with family members.

If your medications went to the Pharmacy, a receipt will be placed on your chart so the nurse can retrieve these for you upon discharge.

If your medications are not returned prior to discharge, Pharmacy will hold them for two weeks.

2. A list of medications will be provided to you on admission. This list will include:

• an update of any new medication ordered for you;
• frequency of medications.

 

3. You will be provided with education throughout your hospitalization regarding your medications, their side effects, dosages and food or drug interactions.

4. The nursing staff will identify you by checking your wrist name band prior to giving you your medication.

5. Medications may be kept at the bedside only with a physician's order and must be labeled by our Pharmacy (e.g., eye drops, nitroglycerin, lozenges, inhalers).

Some Frequently Used Abbreviations

PRN	as needed
qh	every hour
qd	every day
BID	twice a day
TID	three times a day
QID	four times a day
H.S.	at bed time
q	every
a.c.	before meals
p.c.	after meals

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