• Provide timely and relevant information
–Potential topics include
- what narcolepsy is, in basic terms, with a brief explanation of the current understanding of its etiology
- the daytime consequences of narcolepsy that patients may not attribute to EDS, including problems at school or work;
emphasize the potential for injury and the necessity of providing safety measures
- jobs that patients with narcolepsy should avoid, including those involving shift-work, driving and transportation-related
jobs, jobs with on-callschedules, and jobs requiring continuous attention for long hours without breaks
- the chronic nature of the disorder
- the importance of adhering to prescribed lifestyle modifications (e.g., sleep hygiene, taking scheduled naps, avoidance
of smoking) and pharmacologic therapy to control symptoms
- For each prescribed medications, review the drug name, route, dose, purpose, and side effects
–When the patient is first diagnosed with narcolepsy, emphasize need-to-know information to avoid overwhelming the
patient