Nurse Practitioner Resources: Poison Control Center

Have you ever called the poison control center?  They are fabulous.  Have a patient who missed their morning medications and took their evening and morning medications at the same time?  Did your patient accidentally or intentionally overdose on a certain medication?  Has a child ingested a medication meant for an adult?

In all of these types of situations, I highly recommend utilizing the poison control center.  They answer the phone quickly and are able to give in depth information related to medications, drug, chemical substances and how they affect the body.  The poison control center gives you information regarding symptoms to look for in patients that have ingested medications or toxic substances.  They recommend appropriate labwork and length of monitoring.  This ensures that you as a nurse practitioner treat patients with toxicology related illnesses safely and appropriately.

Get the number for your local poison control center.  Keep it visible on your desk.  Call them 24/7 for assistance when you need it.  You will learn more each time you call and ensure that you are providing safe patient care.