Why do hospital pharmacies repackage and unit-dose medications?

Answer 1

Patients in bed take a single dose of medicine. They do not take a whole bottle. The meds are placed in small containers, frequently cups, for each patient. The meds (medications) nurse comes around with the meds cart and gives each patient his or her appropriate meds at the appropriate time of day.

If the medicine were left in a big bottle in the room, some confused patients might take the entire bottle. In one case, the meds nurse left the meds on the bed table and another patient walked into the room and took the drugs. That was a mess! The meds nurse must watch to see that the appropriate patient takes the right drugs!