Counselling on OTC Meds Flashcards
How will A patient initiate an OTC encounter
Describe systems
ask a specific question
Request a product
Steps to an OTC consultation
1) Who is the patient
- Age
- Gender
2) Seen an MD?
- Delay this but if they give you enough to see a doctor ask if they have or not
3) Assess patients symptoms
- Ask more about it
- All questions that you would ask yourself about something you can ask
- Symptoms, severity, duration, when did it start…
- Always second guess yourself and think could it be worse
4) Contemplate a tentative course of action
- Generally do not state this to the patient yet
5) Access patients health status (history)
- You may need to say why you are asking these
- Only ask what you must know to make sure that your recommendation is safe
- Ask if they are on any other meds, any other conditions they have
6) State your recommendation (options to do)
- Reassure them that what they are doing is good
- Non drug measures: more people expect to get something but it could be as simple as wait a week
- An OTC: most common
- MD referral
7) Provide information on proper use
- How to best use the agent, things to watch for and what success looks like
- How to use it, how long, side effects, what to do if it doesn’t work, what should the user expect to happen
What is the differential process
- When you gather information from the patient you want to rule in or rule out stuff and then when you have enough information you can make your best guess at a differential diagnosis
- Play the odds: start by thinking of the most common things and then you can dive deeper after
Nuances in step 3 (accessing patient symptoms)
- How to use open and closed ended questions
- Start broad and then zero in on something
- Assess patients choice of wording and watch for non verbal information while you are listening (if they are using complex terms they are most likely another medical professional)
Will step 5 (access patients health status) be the same for everyone
- No it will not you will ask more to an elderly then a younger individual
In an example such as someone asking about a bug bite how to not start and how to
- Don’t ask about medical status first
- Rather take a look first then ask questions based on how they look
If you only have 45 seconds what information should you provide on proper use (getting the right drug or how to use it)
- Getting the right drug
- Almost all the time on how to use it, and side effects are all on the package
If you say something to a patient and they seem worried or unsure what should you do
- You most likely scared them so rephase what you said to make it seem not as bad
Should you mention all side effects
- For now mention 2-3
When to refer to an MD
- When symptoms are severe
- When symptoms are minor but they persist
- With the young and elderly
If you do not know what is in a product what should you do
- Look at the package to read it (use it as a cheat sheet)
How to use packages of drugs in an encounter
- Look at if you need a refresher
- Use it as a prop (give it to them) so it takes the pressure off of you
