Medication guidelines
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Medication guidelines
The following are basic guidelines for taking prescription and nonprescription medications:
- Use medications only if nondrug approaches are not working.
- Know the benefits and side effects of a medication before taking it.
- Take the minimum effective dose.
- Never take a drug prescribed for someone else.
- Follow the prescription instructions exactly or let your doctor know why you didn't.
- Keep medications tightly capped in their original containers, and store them as directed.
- Do not take medications in front of small children. Children are great mimics. Don't oversell the "candy" taste of children's medicines or leave children's vitamins within their reach.
- Add a consumer's guide to medications to your home health library.
Credits
| Author | Katy E. Magee, MA |
| Author | Sydney Youngerman-Cole, RN, BSN, RNC |
| Editor | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA |
| Associate Editor | Tracy Landauer |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Patrice Burgess, MD - Family Medicine |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Martin Gabica, MD - Family Medicine |
| Last Updated | May 19, 2006 |
| Last updated: | May 19, 2006 |
|---|---|
| Author: | Sydney Youngerman-Cole, RN, BSN, RNC |
| Reviewed By: | Martin Gabica, MD - Family Medicine |
| Editors: | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer |
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