What it means
The full list of what a client takes at present. It includes the name, dose, how often and why, and should cover over-the-counter products, supplements, herbal remedies, inhalers, eye drops, creams and patches as well as prescriptions. The list is compared against new orders at every move between care settings, a process called medication reconciliation.
For the nurse
Ask about every kind of product, including those the client may not think of as medicine, and when they last took each one. Check the list for drugs that interact with new orders and for drugs to hold before procedures, such as anticoagulants.
At a glance
| Also written | current medications |
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Related terms
side effect
An effect of a drug, other than the one it is given for, that is known and expected to happen in some people.
contraindication
A reason not to give a drug or do a treatment, because in that person it could cause harm.
medication reconciliation
Comparing a client's full list of current medicines with new orders at each change in care, to find and fix differences.