Medication Flowsheet

The primary purpose of a medication flowsheet is safety!!! By keeping an updated history of when you started, stopped or changed the frequency of when you take a particular medication, you can prevent medication errors. It might be helpful to use a red highlighter to indicate any changes in dose, frequency or discontinued medications.

While your doctors should have a record of all your medications, it is much easier for them to see a copy of your medication schedule during your visit. This will allow them to see if any other physicians/specialists have changed your medication regime or if there are any communication errors in what your physician instructed and what you may have heard during your last appointment.

For safety sake, you should tell your friend/family members where you keep your medication flow sheet in the event you are unable to speak for yourself. You may even want to keep a copy on your refrigerator or other centrally located area of your home. Having such a document, which provides emergency personnel with allergies and medication history at a glance, can save your life!

Remember, the flowsheet is not just a tool to help provide you with the purpose of your medication and how/when to take your medication, it also provides outsiders (healthcare providers) with a quick history of what your current medications are and what medications you have taken in the past. Again, all of this information can be life-saving!!!! The following is an example of a medication flowsheet:

MEDICATION FLOWSHEET
Patient Name		Allergies
DATE	MEDICATION	SCHEDULE
Start	Drug/Dosage/Direction/Doctor/Purpose	Brkfst	Lunch	Dinner	Bedtime
Stop
Start: 1/1/08	Example: Digoxin/0.125mg/once daily/Dr. Heart/Slows the heart rate. Makes the heart pump more effectively	X
Stop: 2/1/08
Start:
Stop:
Start:
Stop:
Start:
Stop:
Start:
Stop:
Start:
Stop:
Start:
Stop:
Start:
Stop:
Start:
Stop:
Start:
Stop:
Start:
Stop:

You can click here to get a copy of a full page version to print and fill in. Please note, you must have Adobe® Reader® on your computer to view and print these forms. If you do not have this software, and would like a free copy of it, please click

now.

Over-the-Counter Medications

Be sure to keep a flowsheet of all over-the-counter (OTC) medications, herbal and vitamin supplements in addition to your prescribed medications!!!! I have created a separate flowsheet to allow you to keep track of all your over-the-counter medications . Be sure to include any cold remedies, laxatives, pain-relief medications, sinus medications and nicotine alternatives. Remember that over-the-counter medications, herbs, and vitamin supplements may have a dangerous affect when combined with prescribed medications! It is important for your physicians and pharmacists to know about everything you are taking for your own safety!!!!

There is one more thing to remember, tools are only useful if they are used correctly. Be sure to keep your records updated!

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