Preventing Medication Errors

1. Preventing Medication Errors Chapter 9

2. Safe Medication Administration • Prescription • Licensed providers must have authority within their state to write prescriptions • Nurses play an important role in preventing errors at this step • Includes verbal orders • Repeat and verify all verbal orders for accuracy

3. Safe Medication Administration • Transcription • Patient’s name • Date and time written • Drug name and dosage • Route of administration • Frequency or time of administration • Prescriber’s signature

4. Safe Medication Administration • 6 Rights • Right drug • Right route • Right patient • Right dose • Right time • Right documentation

5. Right Drug • Check medication label • On first contact with drug • Prior to measuring (pouring, counting or withdrawing) • After obtaining the drug, just prior to administration

6. Right Patient • Correctly identify patient prior to medication administration • Compare armband with medication administration record • Ask the patient to state his name

7. Right Route • Consult a drug information source to confirm correct route • Many need to change or clarify forms or routes of the drug for safe medication administration

8. Right Time • Order should include frequency of administration • Use safe abbreviations

9. Right Dose • Carefully read and clarify drug orders • Recheck labels

10. Right Dose • Have two nurses double check potent medications • Common sources of errors • e.g. Insulin • Consult drug references • Accurate dosage calculations

11. Right Documentation • Document after administration • Omitting documentation can result in over or undermedication