OSCE questions Medication History

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jacielee

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I have an OSCE in a couple of weeks. One of the stations will be taking a patient's medication history. I know the patient will have their bag of medication with them, so I am suppose to use that. But I am still suppose to talk to the patient about their meds. Does anyone have advice or know the correct way for doing this? For example, do I pull each medication out and read the label to myself, then ask the patient if they take it based on the label? Like, if they have Topiramate 200mg tabs, Take 1 tablet by mouth twice a day, do I say "Do you take Topiramate 200mg twice a day?" I know that's just repeating what the label says to the patient when I'm asking. Or should I ask the patient if they take the drug and how they take it, without saying anything about the directions on the label in my question, "Do you take Topiramate? What strength do you take and how do you take it?"

Also, if the patient indicates that they take a medication differently than what is stated on a label, can someone give an example of how to document this?

Thanks for any help!

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since this is a school assignment, you should use the outline and rubric taught in your school because that's how you will be assessed and graded.
 
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All our rubric says is for us to ask what Rx, OTC, and herbal/dietary meds the patient takes. That's easy in just a situation where you are strictly asking the patient, but I've never done it when we have their medication vials. I can't just write down what's on the vial label and record that on my form, I mean that's a way to get the information I need but I suppose to be asking the patient about it. Has anyone every been graded on taking a med history like this?
 
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Always use open ended questions for school assignments. Never use yes or no.

"How often do you take this medication? How did your doctor tell you how to take it? What did your doctor tell you this was for?"


In real life do whatever you want.
 
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Always use open ended questions for school assignments. Never use yes or no.

"How often do you take this medication? How did your doctor tell you how to take it? What did your doctor tell you this was for?"


In real life do whatever you want.


Thanks for the feedback!
 
I am just surprised that a school would assign or grade you on something that has not been properly taught. Not to sound mean. @Wheresmyaricept is absolutely right. that's the textbook way of counseling, although never done in real life bc of time constrains.
 
I am just surprised that a school would assign or grade you on something that has not been properly taught. Not to sound mean. @Wheresmyaricept is absolutely right. that's the textbook way of counseling, although never done in real life bc of time constrains.

I wouldn't be asking for advice if I didn't have guidelines already. We have done and do have a rubric for interviewing patients to take a medication history. I get that a patient bringing a bag of meds with them is suppose to be helpful for us. But I have to incorporate the patient, not just get all the information from the meds. Very easy in real life, but not when your being graded on it. We don't have a rubric for that, which is why I was asking about the proper OSCE way to do it.
 
I wouldn't be asking for advice if I didn't have guidelines already. We have done and do have a rubric for interviewing patients to take a medication history. I get that a patient bringing a bag of meds with them is suppose to be helpful for us. But I have to incorporate the patient, not just get all the information from the meds. Very easy in real life, but not when your being graded on it. We don't have a rubric for that, which is why I was asking about the proper OSCE way to do it.

There is no such thing as "proper osce way". If you know the proper way to counsel you can incorporate it in any situation, including: mirixa mtm case where med therapiew are written for you, when a pt brings you the meds, when if the patient takes the meds and scribbles them for you on a rock. Point is the type of questions, technique, and manner stays the same in type of a situation.
 
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