Viewing post #208904 by kqcrna

Physicians don't have to tell patients what they're administering. (In most cases patients don't know drugs anyway).

I put people to sleep for surgery. I interview the patient and review the chart before surgery. I don't tell them what I'm going to use ahead of time. Some patients ask before surgery and I give them an honest answer: I don't know. I'll give them the names of a drug or two or three and tell the patients that I think I'll be using those drugs, but beyond that I'll give whatever it appears they need. I have a big cart full of drugs beside me, plus sometimes I have to send the nurse to another area to fetch me additional medications that are in an area outside of the OR. The possibilities of drugs I might give are beyond what most non-medical people can imagine.

So bottom line- your safest course as a patient is to inform any medical provider of your allergies or drug intolerances, important medical conditions, etc.

Karen