drug commercials and inserts

[BabaLouRN]

More and more often I am finding patients that will not take a medication prescribed to them after they see a TV commercial, look up on Google or read the package insert about all the potential warnings and side effects. I usually tell them about the legal issues involved with these and they need to have faith in their Dr who would not prescribe a medication that would cause harm to them.

Just wondering how others are dealing with this situation and how to put the trust back in to patients who are being frightened by these things.

[caliotter3]

I have not encountered this yet. When it comes up, I will ask the patient to discuss with their doctor. What I do encounter on an almost continual basis, and somewhat related to this, is when clients do their own thing. Usually they will countermand the MD orders and expect me to follow their instructions, or else. I take appropriate action and always tell them that they need to keep their physician informed of what they do, or don't do. Most of the time, they will nod and uh huh the doctor during appointments, then go home and tell me how off base the doctor is and how I better do things their way. I do not like being caught in the middle. I suspect the same scenario when someone gives me their interpretation of the TV ad instructions. Reading the insert is probably not an activity any of my clients would engage in, so I am not concerned about that, as yet.

[caliotter3]

As an observation of mine, the litany of side effects strikes me as a good way to discourage people from using your product instead of bringing in their business. That is how I see those ads. And I think there are too many of them.

[RN403, BSN, RN]

All you can do is educate the patient to the best of your ability and relay their concerns to the MD if that is not good enough.