Patient education importance

Discuss ways to promote an optimal response to therapy, how to manage adverse reactions, and important points to keep in mind when educating patients about the use of the sulfonamides. 

Monitoring and Managing Adverse Reactions The patient prescribed die female hormones usually takes diem for several months or years. Throughout diat time, die patient must be monitored for adverse reactions (see Ongoing Assessment ). These drugs are self-administered at home This makes patient education an important avenue for detecting and managing adverse reactions. 

Educate patients and families about schizophrenia, treatments, and the importance of adherence to antipsychotic treatment. 

Patient education is an important component of care. Educate patients about the benefits of proper therapy, the importance of adherence, and the importance of receiving a consistent LT4 product. Some patients will take excessive amounts of LT4 in an effort to feel better or as a weight-loss treatment. Explain to patients that excessive amounts of LT4 will not improve symptoms more than therapeutic doses and that this drug is not an effective treatment for obesity. 

Educate the patient on HIV/AIDS disease and the importance of strict adherence to medication (the patient must ideally take his or her medications at the same time every day). Recommend a therapeutic regimen that is as easy as possible for the patient to take. Talk to the patient specifically about when and how the patient will be taking the medications. What time do they eat meals When do they wake up What other medications are they taking at the same time Educate patients whether to take their medications with or without food. 

The usual metastatic sites for solid tumors are the brain, the bone, the lung, and the liver. It is important to realize and educate patients that breast cancer cells may metastasize to the brain, so the individual doesn t have brain and breast cancer but breast cancer metastases to the brain. 

It is important to develop a plan to educate patients and families about their drugs and doses. If modifications are necessary secondary to toxicity or inadequate response, establish a plan for treatment change. Remember that individual patients often do not fit the average patient profile, and dose modifications frequently are needed. The practitioner should be familiar with dosing ranges, WBC count, and other parameters that indicate appropriate treatment response. Based on response to prior phases of treatment, the clinician should recognize potential toxicides in subsequent phases of treatment with the same or different drugs at similar or different doses. 

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