RiverView Health is partnering with the Crookston Police Department and Nimens Espegard to start a new event called “Ask A Pharmacist” to help people understand more about prescription drugs and their medications with RiverView Pharmacist Shelby Knott on Tuesday, September 20, at 2:00 p.m. in the Nimens Espegard Community Room.
RiverView Health’s Community Relations and Events Specialist Carrie Bergquist explained that the event was initially meant to be a partnership with Nimens Espegard Apartments senior residents, but chose to make it a public event and invited the Police Department to participate in the event as well. “What you can expect on Tuesday, in the Nimens Espegard Community Room at 2:00 p.m. Our fantastic pharmacist at RiverView Health, Shelby Knott, will facilitate conversations, spark up topics to talk about what medications you’re taking, suggest ways to take your medication, and help you manage problems and how those correlate with different medications,” Bergquist explained. “She may even touch on other health conditions, but we want to open it up to questions the participants have that they might not have an opportunity to ask a pharmacist.” The event will also have Knott give a short presentation about safety measures and give suggestions about different ways to take and store medication, a Q&A with her answering any questions guests may have about their medication and distribute a pocket-sized current medication list that participants fill out. “This is a list that we’ll make pocket or purse sized for you to list your medications, the directions, which include the dosage and the frequency, why you’re taking that medication, which physician prescribed it, and any other notes,” Bergquist explained. “This can also be good with elderly folks that have a caretaker with them, and that caretaker is unable to list what those medications of their loved one is, so it’s an excellent tool for families as well.”
Along with the Q&A, RiverView is inviting Crookston Police Deputy Chief Nathan Nelson to partake in the event to run a Prescription Drug Takeback to have them collect any prescription medications for proper disposal. Bergquist explains that the State Law requires a pharmacist and law enforcement member present in order to have a Prescription Drug Take and will be there to take medications from anyone who does not need or want them anymore to have them be safely and properly disposed of. “It could be expired medication, maybe you had a death in the family, and you need to dispose of your loved one’s medication. That would be a great time to dispose of those,” Bergquist explained. “Maybe you don’t need them anymore and want to dispose of them properly. Whatever the reason may be, Nate will gladly take that off your hands, but there are many reasons why they want you to get rid of your medication.” Both the Police Department and RiverView recommend against throwing prescription medication in everyday garbage cans as that can lead to people who rummage through garbage to have problems or can lead to other crimes with them. Bergquist also mentioned that people can just come to the event to drop off any medication they are not using or don’t need anymore if they are not interested in the presentation or Q&A. Or if they are unable to come to this event, they can drop off any unneeded medication in the Medication Drop-Off Box at the Polk County Sheriff’s Department.
The “Ask a Pharmacist” event will be held on Tuesday, September 20, at 2:00 p.m. in the Nimens Espegard Apartments on Widman Lane C, in the apartment’s Community Room on the west side of the apartments. Signs will be posted around the apartment complex to direct people on where to go, with the Crookston Police Department being there to help direct people as well. The event is free and open for anyone to come and learn about their medications or drop any prescription medication they no longer need with the Crookston Police Department.
