Medication Safety Week

Day 6

April 6: Transitional Care Day

Be cautious whenever there is a change in your medical regimen. Double check your medicines when picking up a new or refilled prescription. If in a hospital or nursing home, make sure the nurse checks your I.D. bracelet before giving you your pills. If a pill doesn't look familiar to you, ask why. It may be a generic of the same drug you were taking, but, if you don't ask, you won't know! Get written instructions upon discharge from any medical facility.  (Provided by the Women’s Heart Foundation, www.womensheart.org – thank you)

It is also a good habit if new medications are being prescribed by someone other than your primary doctor, to notify him/her of the new medication.  It is always better to be safe than sorry!  Add any new or deleted medications to your list of current meds you are taking and remember to provide that to your doctor, dentist or any other healthcare person you might see.

National Public Health Week

Wednesday: At Play

You can protect yourself, your family and community by taking action, both big and small, to prevent injury. Here are just a few examples:

Start small...

• Wear a helmet and other properly fitted protective gear.
• Use proper form and accept your body’s limits.
• Have a physical before starting a new sport and warm-up each time before beginning.
• Play it safe and strictly enforce rules that prevent injury.
• Monitor children while they are at play to ensure safety.
• Drink plenty of water to avoid becoming dehydrated.
• Educate coaches on how to ensure the health and safety of youth athletes.

Think big…

• Educate policymakers about ways to prevent youth athletic injuries. Invite a local student that has suffered from a traumatic brain injury to speak on the importance of safety.
• Form a group in your community that works to educate families about safe play for children.
• Work with local community leaders to build and support safe playgrounds.
• Host a concussion awareness event at a local high school for young athletes.
• Write a letter to the editor of your local paper that stresses the importance of preventing injuries during NPHW and beyond.

There is much more you can do to prevent injuries beyond these actions. Raise awareness of safety and injury prevention within your community during National Public Health Week. You can help make engaging in sports and recreation activities safer.