1. Why do we care about accuracy? A lawyer writes: “The plaintiff should recieve $10,000 in damages.” Has anyone been physically harmed by this spelling error? How about these?

2. A nurse writes on a patient’s chart: “X-ray requested of the ileum.” When she means “ilium.”

3. A doctor writes “qid” on coumadin prescription instead of “qd.” The patient takes the medication 4 times a day rather than once a day...... and dies of internal bleeding.

4. Why do we care about accuracy? A pharmacist fills a prescription for Dioval (estradiol) with Diovan (high BP).

5. Don’t all doctors have messy handwriting? Who cares?? This prescription for Isordil was read by the pharmacist as Plendil. The patient died of a heart attack.

6. In the News... July 2006 - Madison, WI Nurse administers epidural anesthetic instead of penicillin to 16 year old girl. The girl dies. Nurse received 3 years probation/suspension for wrongful death

7. In the News... Nov. 2007 - Los Angeles, CA Dennis Quaid case Newborn twins treated with 10,000 units/ml heparin vs. 10 units/ml Drug company had new labels - but didn’t recall the old.

8. In the News... December 2007 - Nashville, TN Prednisone overdose (3 days of 1250mg vs 250 mg) causes kidney transplant failure

9. In the News... July 2008 - Corpus Christie, TX 17 newborns overdosed with Heparin 2 die