Pill Call

When incarcerated ,medications are given out in 2 ways: “Watch Swallow” and “KOP: Keep on Person”. Watch swallow is where your medications are brought to you cell or housing unit and placed in your hand every time you are scheduled for a dose. In many cases you will be required to have water with you and take the pills in front of staff.  KOP is where you are given a monthly or weekly supply of your meds to keep with you in your living area. Recreational drug use is very popular in jails and prisons. Inmates are eager to see what pills you are getting, as they may want to buy them from you or steal them to get high. Keeping your meds confidential and safe is important and can be challenging. If you don’t want to keep bags of meds on your person, ask medical staff to change you to “watch swallow” and don’t be shy to tell them why. Confidentiality should be their issue too. You can also have some meds KOP and some watch swallow. Work with unit medical staff and always be humble and pleasant.

While in a crowded 12-man cell in the intake center, the pill call nurse came to the door and called my name. In front of everybody, she handed me six bags of pills and said, “here’s your week’s KOP meds”. Knowing that everyone in the cell was watching me, I purposely stared hard in her eyes and nicely said, “these may not be mine, mine are watch swallow, can you re-check and get me next pill call?” Then I gently forced the meds in her direction. I think she go the hint but immediately followed up with a note requesting my meds as “watch swallow” in order to maintain confidentiality. It worked out well. I thank that nurse. There are eyes everywhere in prison and everything you do, everything, will follow you.