Discuss two interventions you can take as a Nurse Practitioner in your clinical practice to prevent polypharmacy and its complications.

1. Utilize evidence-based clinical guidelines and drug references to ensure that the medications prescribed are appropriate for the patient’s condition and do not interact with each other in a harmful way.
2. Monitor patient progress regularly by conducting follow-up appointments and reviewing adverse effects of drugs, adjusting doses or discontinuing certain medications as needed.
3. Educate patients on how to safely store their medication at home and keep track of when they should take them, emphasizing the importance of never mixing different drugs or exceeding dosage instructions without consulting a healthcare provider first.
4. Encourage patients to bring all their medications (including over-the-counter drugs) to every appointment so that any potential interactions can be spotted early on.
5. Advocate for increased access to mental health services since depression and anxiety can lead some individuals to seek out multiple prescriptions from different providers which may put them at risk for polypharmacy complications