What to know About your Inpatient Medicines and when to Refuse them

Suppose you are admitted to the hospital and given your regular dose of fluid pills intravenously. Then, suppose the nurse came in your room handing you the same dose orally. What would you do?

Because of a mix up in the orders, this exact same thing happened to me. Of course, I refused the oral dose.


This brings up a great reason to refuse inpatient medicine. If you suddenly, without your previous knowledge are given an exceedingly large dose of medication, or if your nurse departs wildly from your normal doses, or if the medication you are being given is suddenly different than what you normally take, you should refuse your medicine until it‘s reviewed by your doctor.

You have the right to refuse any medicine as long as you are mentally competent to do so.


That being said, it is in your best interest to ask your medication nurse exactly what medications you are being given.


Any time there is confusion over your medications, you should have your concerns addressed by your medical staff before taking them.

I have refused medications a number of times while in the hospital. Since I am a somewhat professional patient, I am aware of certain characteristics of IV Lasix and Albumin related to my weight and edema.


I know, for instance, that I am getting dehydrated when I’ve been given these medications for several days, lose over 20 pounds of fluid, and start experiencing muscle spasms. I have refused doses of Lasix under these circumstances.


Nurse reactions to my refusals vary with the nurse. Most of the time I get an indignant look as they turn and stomp back to the med cart. Other times, they ask, “Why, Mr. Taverne?”


When I get a nurse who tries talking me into taking the medication, I tell her, “I’m not taking the medicine until I talk to my doctor.”


As a side note, there are times when I have reported medication waste; when I was supposed to get a certain amount of a medication but did not.


In one such incident, I was prescribed Intravenous Immunoglobulin at a certain dose and rate. But, because the pharmacy (who mixed my large dose from several small bottles) took one of the labels off a small dose and put it on the transparent IV bag which incorrectly indicated a dose and rate.


I, as I received this medication many times, knew the nurse was making a big mistake when she stopped the IV after infusing only 1/3 of the bag’s contents. I mounted a protest which was ignored, and the nurse threw the other 2/3 into the trash!


That stuff costs over $8000.00 per bag! The second time this was about to happen, I stopped her. I tried explaining that I was supposed to get the whole thing, but she wouldn’t listen to a “lowly patient” and call the pharmacy.


I got out of bed, still hooked up to the IV, went downstairs to the pharmacy, and asked her to explain why my nurse would throw away 2/3 of the contents of this bag as I pointed to it.


The pharmacist looked shocked as I explained what happened to the previous dose. She promptly called the charge nurse on my ward and explained that I was, indeed, supposed to get the entire bag.


I suppose the point of this post is to let you know its okay to question your medication nurses. It’s smart to question anyone who is giving you medicine.


Here are three questions to ask:
1. What are you giving me?
2. What are they for?
3. How often will I be given them?


These are great questions to start with. 


If there is ever confusion about your medications, get it cleared up. Remember, it’s your doctor who prescribes your medicine (even if you are in the hospital) so when a question can’t be cleared up by your nurse, ask to speak with your doctor.

Be mindful, however, that while you are hospitalized, your doctor may prescribe medications to you without your knowledge.  If this happens, and you are uncomfortable with the situation, it is okay to request a talk with your doctor.  


One more note:  The contents of this post are only suggestions.  Any action you take in the hospital is your responsibility.    I'm simply sharing my stories and making suggestions based on my own experiences.