Medication Error Reported
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Medication Error Definition
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Medication Errors Statistics
Evaluation and Research (CDER), the Division of Medication Error Prevention and Analysis (DMEPA) reviews medication error reports on marketed human drugs including prescription drugs, generic drugs, and over-the-counter drugs. DMEPA types of medication errors uses the National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention (NCCMERP) definition of a medication error. Specifically, a medication error is "any preventable event that may cause or lead to inappropriate medication use or patient harm while the medication is in the control of the health care professional, patient, or consumer. Such events may be related to professional practice, health medication errors statistics 2015 care products, procedures, and systems, including prescribing; order communication; product labeling, packaging, and nomenclature; compounding; dispensing; distribution; administration; education; monitoring; and use."DMEPA includes a medication error prevention program staffed with healthcare professionals. Among their many duties, program staff review medication error reports sent to MedWatch, evaluate causality, and analyze the data to provide solutions to reduce the risk of medication errors to industry and others at FDA.Additionally, DMEPA prospectively reviews proprietary names, labeling, packaging, and product design prior to drug approval to help prevent medication errors.Although DMEPA encourages manufacturers to perform their due diligence when naming their drug products and we strive to avoid approving confusing proprietary names for drug products, there are cases of adverse events where a name of a marketed product is identified as a source of confusion and error. Therefore, we continue to encourage healthcare providers, patients and consumers to report all medication errors to MedWatch so that we can be made aware of potential problems related to drug names and the Agency can provide effective interventions that will minimize further errors. In some situations, changing
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Medication Error Articles
Contact PSNet Email Updates Editorial Team Technical Expert/Advisory Panel Terms & Conditions / Copyright causes of medication error PSNet Privacy Policy External Link Disclaimer Patient Safety Primer Last Updated: March 2015 Medication Errors Topics Resource Type Patient Safety Primers Safety
Examples Of Medication Errors
Target Medication Errors/Preventable Adverse Drug Events Look-Alike, Sound-Alike Drugs More Share Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Print  Background and definitions Prescription medication use is widespread, complex, and increasingly risky. Clinicians have access to an armamentarium http://www.fda.gov/drugs/drugsafety/medicationerrors/ of more than 10,000 prescription medications, and nearly one-third of adults in the United States take 5 or more medications. Advances in clinical therapeutics have undoubtedly resulted in major improvements in health for patients with many diseases, but these benefits have also been accompanied by increased risks. An adverse drug event (ADE) is defined as harm experienced by a patient as a result of exposure to a medication, and ADEs account for https://psnet.ahrq.gov/primers/primer/23/medication-errors nearly 700,000 emergency department visits and 100,000 hospitalizations each year. ADEs affect nearly 5% of hospitalized patients, making them one of the most common types of inpatient errors; ambulatory patients may experience ADEs at even higher rates. Transitions in care are also a well-documented source of preventable harm related to medications. As with the more general term adverse event, the occurrence of an ADE does not necessarily indicate an error or poor quality care. A medication error refers to an error (of commission or omission) at any step along the pathway that begins when a clinician prescribes a medication and ends when the patient actually receives the medication. Preventable adverse drug events result from a medication error that reaches the patient and causes any degree of harm. It is generally estimated that about half of ADEs are preventable. Medication errors that do not cause any harm—either because they are intercepted before reaching the patient, or by luck—are often called potential ADEs. An ameliorable ADE is one in which the patient experienced harm from a medication that, while not completely preventable, could have been mitigated. Finally, a certain percentage of patients will experience ADEs even when medications are prescribed and administered appropriately; these are considered adverse drug reactions or non-preventable ADEs (and are popularly know
therapy or failing to receive it as prescribed or intended. Medication errors happen for many reasons. However, failing to follow the six rights of medication administration is probably the most basic cause. http://www.atitesting.com/ati_next_gen/skillsmodules/content/medication-administration-1/equipment/error.html Whether or not the patient was harmed or had an adverse reaction as a result of the error, all medication errors must be reported, not only for patient safety but for quality-improvement purposes. When you or a colleague makes a medication error, the patient’s safety and well-being are your first priority. Monitor the patient closely and notify the provider and your nurse manager as medication error soon as possible. Once the patient is stable, the person who made the error must complete an incident, variance, or quality-assurance report as soon as possible, but generally within 24 hours of the incident. The report should include the following information and any additional information required by facility policy: patient information, the location and time of the incident, a description of what happened and what of medication error was done about it, the condition of the patient, and the nurse’s signature. The incident report does not become a permanent part of the patient’s medical record; do not mention it in your documentation on the patient’s chart. The intent of this is not to hide the fact that an error occurred, but to protect the nurse and the facility. Depending on the error that occurred and the outcome, the facility may be required to report the incident to the Joint Commission. Nurses should feel comfortable reporting a medication error and not fear disciplinary action. Incident reports should not be used for disciplinary purposes but to improve systems and processes. Managers who use incident reports for disciplinary purposes run the risk of increased failure to report errors and of the same mistakes being made again and again. Medication incident report form References Bentz, P. M., & Ellis, J. R. (2007). Modules for basic nursing skills (7th ed.). Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. p. 828. Duell, D. J., Martin, B. C., & Smith, S. F. (2004). Clinical nursing skills: Basic to advanced skills (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc. pp. 518-519.