Medication Safety Checklist — 10 Things to Verify Before Your First Dose

Know exactly what to ask about every medication — before you take the first dose.

When you start a new prescription, the most dangerous gaps aren't the big mistakes — they're the small questions no one thought to answer. What it's for. How long to take it. What to avoid. What a serious side effect actually looks like. And after a hospital stay, when medications get added, changed, or stopped, those gaps multiply fast.

This free, print-ready checklist walks you through the 10 things to verify for every medication, in plain language, so nothing slips through.

What's inside:

• A 10-point check for every prescription — name, dose, timing, food, interactions, side effects, warning signs, missed doses, and refills
• The three questions to ask before you leave the hospital or pharmacy
• A fill-in My Medication Record page — snap a photo, and you'll always have the answer when an ER or new doctor asks "what are you on?"

Who it's for: Patients managing a new prescription, caregivers tracking a loved one's medications, and anyone coming home after a hospital stay.

Written by a respiratory therapist with 20+ years inside the healthcare system, and grounded in AHRQ medication-safety guidance.

For educational purposes only. Not medical advice. Always consult your physician or pharmacist for decisions about your care. In an emergency, call 911.