Medication Error Nasha’at Jawabreh And yousef

What is the definition of medication error ?

“..any preventable event that may cause or lead to in inappropriate medication use or patient harm, while the medication is in the control of health care professional, patient, or consumer, Such events may be related to professional practice, health care products, procedures, and systems including : prescribing; order communication; product labeling; packaging and nomenclature; compounding; dispensing; distribution; administration; education; monitoring; and use”. (NCCMERP)

The safe and accurate administration of medications is one of the nurses most important responsibilities. Drugs are the primary means of therapy for clients with health problems, but a drug may have the potential for causing harmful effects when administered improperly.

How mistakes are made ? Omission : the patient fails to receive unordered drug dose. Wrong dose : the patient receives a dose that’s at least 5% more or less than the dose ordered. Extra dose : the patient receives more doses tan the doctor ordered. Unordered drug : the patient receives a drug that wasn’t ordered for him. Wrong root Wrong time: the patient receives a drug too early or too late. Medication errors fall into these categories :

The nurse is responsible for understanding a drugs action and it’s side effects, administering it correctly, monitoring the client’s response and helping the client self administer drugs correctly and knowledgably (Proulx, 1993).

Ways to Prevent Medication Errors Despite repeated emphasis on the “five Rights of Drug” administration, too many patients receive the wrong medication. So the ways to prevent these errors are:

1.Don’t administer any drug-including over the counter drug, without a doctor’s order. 2.Always check the label to identify a drug. Don’t rely on the drugs color, shape, or location in the medication cassette. 3.Check the label against the doctors order and the patient’s medication administration record (MAR) three times: when obtaining the drug, when preparing the dose, and when returning the container to storage or discarding it. 4.When you check the drug name, pay particular attention to the spelling many drugs have similar names. If you have any doubts about the drug you are giving, call the doctor or pharmacist. 5.Check expiration dates, and return out dated drugs to the pharmacy.

6.Prepare drugs in a quiet, well-lit area where you will not be distracted. 7.Ask another nurse or a pharmacist to double check your dosage calculations. 8.Don’t give drugs another nurse has prepared. 9.The nurse should have verified the dosage before giving the drug-and she should to followed a basic administration rule, “If you don’t know a drug and it’s dosage, don’t give it until you find out (Martha, 1995) 10.Don’t try to interpret illegible handwriting even in ask the physician.

11.Identify the patient by his ID band- don’t just ask his name or check his bed number. 12.Use appropriate documentation system Documentation on the MAR (Medication Administration record helped prevent errors. That’s because the nurse have the chance to check previous therapy, read any notes that apply to a specific patient, and see what occurred the last time the drug was given. 13.Store preparations meant for external use separately from other medications, and make sure they are labeled for external use only (Carr, 1996).

Errors in medication administration often arise due to combination of factors that are : 1.Poor communication between pharmacists and nurses. 2.Lack of knowledge in drug administration. 3.Multiple interruptions the nurse have during preparing medication. 4.Stress an fatigue. 5.Poor working conditions. 6.Carelessness from nurse.

Medication errors should not happen. But they occur due to the fact that every human being is capable to doing mistake here and those that happen where you work- can add to your knowledge and skill.

yousef

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Thank you Yousef Nashat