It is important to consider your on-going medication during a period in
hospital. It is crucial to get the right medication at the right time every
time, not just at the set times scheduled for hospital medication rounds, so
that your symptoms continue to be well managed and to speed recovery. If
admission is as an emergency this can be more difficult as staff may not have a
clear picture of your needs and may be very busy, so it is a good idea to
discuss this scenario with those close to you so that they can liaise with
staff on your behalf.
For any admission it is essential that staff have clear notes specifying:
- dosage and timing of each
medication you have to take, including complementary, trial and
non-Parkinson’s medications
- clear instructions on how
each medication should be taken, e.g. with food, with water etc.
Some hospitals will allow you to self-medicate (leave you to take your own
medications at the correct times without the intervention of staff) but this is
not always the case.
It may be possible for one nurse on each shift to carry a pill timer with
them so that they are reminded to give you every medication on time - ask about
this prior to admission and take a timer with you if appropriate.
Make sure that you take plenty of each medication with you into hospital as
they might not have ready supplies, and ensure that the dosage on the label is
what you have indicated on any medications list you provide. If not, staff can
sometimes only be authorised to dispense what is written on the label which
could be incorrect.
It is also a good idea to inform staff of any side effects medications can
cause, particularly any on-off fluctuations you experience, so that staff
realise that you may need help with certain activities when you are ‘off’’.
Staff should also be made aware of any symptoms that could affect your
ability to undergo certain treatments such as x-ray, scans or some dental
procedures which require you to stay still - for example, dyskinesia, tremor or rigidity. They may
have techniques that can help overcome any difficulties but it is important
that you inform them in advance so that they can plan accordingly.
