Medication Errors
Medication errors are some of the most common adverse events to occur in hospitals. The Institute of Medicine estimates preventable medication errors cause 7,000 deaths every year in hospitals, with tens of thousands more happening in outpatient facilities and pharmacies. Not all medication mix-ups are fatal: an additional 1.5 million Americans suffer injuries each year from medication errors.
Why do they happen?
Sound-alike names is one of the most common causes (e.g. Celexa, Celebrex and Cerebyx), along with illegibly written prescriptions, inappropriate drug labeling, unknown patient allergies or other medications, and mixed-up dosages.
Imagine you are supposed to receive 1.0 milligrams of a drug, and a barely visible decimal point causes the pharmacist to deliver 10 milligrams instead. Many feel that medication errors are the most preventable error in a hospital, as computerized drug ordering systems (as opposed to handwritten prescriptions) can reduce errors by 66%. You can follow this simple checklist to prevent medication mix-ups in the hospital.
For further reading on medication errors and a simple list of the most commonly confused medications, visit the Institute for Safe Medication Practices, ConsumerMedSafety.org, and the National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention.
The solution? Simple Checklists!
Every patient needs someone with them in the hospital to be their "quarterback for care" -- but very few of us are prepared.
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free e-book of checklists to help you learn...- What to look for
- What to do
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