Identifying medications is an important skill to possess. It can help you determine if your medication regimen is appropriate. Also, it can help you and your health care provider know how to communicate with one another.
Some medications have unique bar codes that identify the dose. These bar codes can be scanned with a hand held bar code reader. The quick scan will alert nursing staff and pharmacists to potential errors.
Often, patients have a difficult time figuring out their medications. They may take too little medicine, or they may not have a complete understanding of the dosage. A patient’s ability to identify the medications in his or her regimen is a key factor in ensuring the best outcomes.
In a recent study, researchers examined the association between medication identification and blood pressure control. They surveyed 202 randomly selected oral medications and compared the accuracy of 14 lay and professional medication identifiers. They found no significant association between a patient’s ability to name a medication and his or her blood pressure control. However, it is possible that this study was not representative of patients who have a wide range of medication identifiers.
Identifying medications by name or appearance can help to improve adherence to a medication regimen. However, these strategies are not always effective. A person may take too little medication or not get enough from the pill, which can lead to less effective treatment and harm.
In addition to visual characteristics, patients can identify medications by size, shape, and color. The latter is referred to as a “trade dress” because it helps manufacturers protect the size and shape of their drug.
