Transcript Slide 1

A Prescription for Safety
Rx and OTC Medication
Awareness
Presented by Diana Byrnes, CUTR
Prescription Medication (Rx)
• Physician prescribed medication helps to
alleviate pain, discomfort, anxiety,
depression and many other life disrupting
ailments
• When taken properly, under the
advisement of physicians and
pharmacists, Rx meds are generally safe
and effective
Safety Sensitive Employee Use
• As a safety sensitive employee:
– You are responsible for ensuring your own
fitness for duty
– You are responsible for reporting to your
employer when you are impaired by Rx or
OTC meds
– Your safety; the safety of your fellow
employees and the safety of the traveling
public is dependent on you being responsible
Guidelines for Safe Use
• Inform your physician of your safetysensitive position and explain your job
duties.
– Do not assume he/she will remember your
explanation from one visit to the next.
– Remind him/her of any other medications you
might be taking; make sure to include those
medications prescribed by other physicians
Guidelines for Safe Use Cont.
• Be cautious; use medications cautiously
and always in accordance with your
physician’s directions
• Do not perform any safety-sensitive
function if you are impaired by any
medication
• Do not assume that OTC meds are
“harmless”– consider them just as you
would Rx meds
Guidelines for Safe Use Cont.
• Solicit information from your
pharmacist. Anytime you need additional
information about an Rx or OTC, ask your
pharmacist.
– side effects, precautions, drug interactions,
and effects when combined with other drugs
• Read warning labels and side effects
provided on information summaries
provide with Rx and OTCs
Guidelines for Safe Use, Cont.
• Do not over-medicate.
– Always follow the prescription directly as
written
– Never increase the dosage or frequency of
use without explicit directions from your
doctor.
– Do not take a pill without first checking the
dosage and comparing it to the prescription,
even if you have taken this medication before
or this is a refill
Guidelines for Safe Use, Cont.
• Never take someone else’s medication.
This is illegal and extremely dangerous
– Never “give out” your Rx meds to a co-worker
– Don’t reveal your medication use to anyone
other than your employer’s designated
representative (if applicable)
– Should you be called for a DOT drug test; the
result will not be verified as negative if the
prescription medication was not prescribed to
you
Guidelines for Safe Use, Cont.
• Always monitor your reaction.
– watch for any side effects which could impact
your ability to perform your job safely including
drowsiness, dizziness, confusion, etc.
– try to get used to the medication first before
reporting for work. The same applies even if
you have taken this medication in the past with
no previous side effects.
– An individual’s reaction to a medication may
vary with each treatment, the nature of the
illness and medications taken
Guidelines for Safe Use, Cont.
• Avoid Rx/OTCs that have been problems in
the past. Inform your prescribing physician of
your problem with the previous medication and
ask for alternative medications. For OTCs, ask
the pharmacist for assistance.
• Ask for alternative treatments of dosage
schedule. If you notice side effects that could
post a safety risk, consult your prescribing
physician (or pharmacist in the case of an OTC)
about alternative treatments, medications,
dosages or schedule of use.
Guidelines for Safe Use, Conclusion
• Do not perform safety-sensitive duties
while impaired. In instances where no
alternative is available, you must inform
your supervisor and follow your employers
Rx/OTC procedures for removal from
safety-sensitive duty.
• Do not perform any safety-sensitive duty
while you are impaired by any medication
Misuse and Abuse
• Misuse: not following prescribed dosage
levels, frequency of use, or use for a
purpose other than for which it was
prescribed- (non-medical use also)
• Abuse: when the pattern of use leads to
clinically significant impairment or
distress that manifests itself in the
individual’s behavior
Dependency and Addiction
• Physiological dependence: when the
individual experiences increasing tolerance
for a drug and experiences withdrawal
when the medication is discontinued
• Psychological dependence or addiction:
when the individual experiences an overall
loss of control, seeks medication
compulsively, and continues use of the
medication in spite of negative
consequences
Resources for Assistance
• Drug Abuse Hotline: 877-377-7741
• SAMHSA:
http://findtreatment.samhsa.gov/
• CARE in Palm Beach: 1-866-494-0866
specializes in Opiate Addiction