Taking psych meds "DEO" ?

Brian2MN · Nov 1, 2005

Department of Extra-Normal Occurences. No, seriously I wouldn't know. I'm new to this site and just looking for entry-level information on here. Strangely enough though, I do work with data analysis in my current job though, and can say from experience that if the data requirements aren't clear, ask for clarification. If someone sends me an email asking for a report, I respond by rephrasing the question in my own words to see if they agree. It's a good way to get them to either agree or disagree with what you think the question is without looking stupid. Better to be safe than sorry.

NipTucker · Nov 2, 2005

Yeah, I already told her to do just that. I couldn't take responsibility for faulty data - possibly resulting in patient injury. I just wanted to know for myself, and to pass to her if possible so she could clarify "intelligently" with the client. I even suggested it may be a misprint - or someone's initials - but she said it appears several times in the documents.

I'll let you know when she hears back from them. 'Till then, anyone else?

Brian2MN · Nov 2, 2005

You know, I was trying to think about this though because I did work in a group home with a guy who was scheziophrenic when I was in college. There I was at Super Wal-Mart trying to decide between Diet Pepsi and Diet Coke, spending my hard-earned money to drive up Wal-profits so they can afford to put yet another 35 hour per week employee on government medical assistance, and it hit me. None of us were RNs, so we were supposed to call the nurse when he was having an episode so the nurse could say whether we should administer a psychotropic med to him that he had as a PRN. It's been 10 years so I can't remember what the med was, but I believe the language was to call the nurse DEO or "during every occurrence".

Keep in mind again I'm not a nurse, I'm just thinking logically. From the perspective of doing research, it makes sense to do a study that would consider that a subject takes their medications religiously during an episode or those do not in terms of their effectiveness.

What I was getting at in my previous post, as I'm sure your sister knows, is that the politics of asking a question usually leads to people thinking she's dumb or asks too many questions, etc. Due to the importance of this, I'd definitely have her ask for clarification. Instead of saying that some anonymous guy in an online forum had a revelation while grocery shopping, she should say something like "I was discussing the use of DEO with some professionals, and someone mentioned that 'during every occurrence' has been used in association with using psychotropic meds"..... Just an idea.

NipTucker · Nov 2, 2005

Taking their meds During Every Occurance . . . hmmmm

It's not a doctor's order/scrip talk, but it may be one of those "unofficial" abbreviations commonly used in certain circles. You know, that's the kind of stuff that gets medical personnel sent to court.

Thanks for your input. My husband says dinner's ready!

Brian2MN · Nov 2, 2005

Sorry if I was unclear. What I meant was "during every occurrence" as in this exact situation we were to call the nurse during every occurrence so the nurse could advise to administer the PRN based on the described symptoms. I was just trying to remember his situation and remember reading those words, "during every occurence", and thinking that DEO could come out of it.

Really all I'm trying to do is brainstorm for a possibility of what it could mean, so she can at least professionally present the ambiguity involved in the question for her own reputation. I would agree that one way or another, the question needs to be asked since it's undoubtedly an non-official acronym one way or another.

Sorry if I wasn't clear as I maybe muddled up my response in my attempt at humor.

elkpark · Nov 2, 2005

I'm wondering if maybe the abbreviation is not "DEO" but "DEC"? Some of the antipsychotics often taken for schizophrenia are available in an injectiable, long-acting form (so that the person gets one shot every three weeks or month instead of taking pills every day). This form of the drug is called "decanoate" (as in "Haldol decanoate" or "Prolixin decanoate") and commonly shortened to "Haldol dec" or Prolixin dec". Perhaps the drug company is using "dec" as a generic term for all of these injectable, long-acting antipsychotics -- i.e., "patients taking their meds dec" means patients receiving any of the decanoates, as opposed to taking the shorter-acting, oral antipsychotics.

Certainly, though, I agree that this needs to be clarified with the drug company and not just guessed at.

Thunderwolf, MSN, RN · Nov 3, 2005

Very good observation, Elkpark.

This needs to be ruled out.