Medication Administration
Additional Safety Measures
Safety Measures:· In 2003 the Joint Commission for Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) acknowledged that many medication errors happen because of errors in writing, transcribing, or reading abbreviations and devised a plan. By January 1, 2004, JCAHO identified some abbreviations that had to be implemented and required all facilities wanting to retain accreditation to create a “do not use” abbreviation list (Mason, 2005).
To view the “do not use” abbreviation list, follow this link: http://www.jointcommission.org/PatientSafety/DoNotUseList/
· The Joint Commission sets goals for 2010.
- Goal 1 – improve the accuracy of patient identification by using two patient identifiers, and eliminating transfusion orders.
- Goal 3 – improve the safety of using medications by labeling medications, and reducing harm from anticoagulation therapy.
- Goal 8 – accurately and completely reconcile medications across the continuum by comparing current and newly ordered medications (The Joint Commission, 2010).
· Do not store drugs with look-alike packaging or similar names in close proximity to one another in unit stock or automated dispensing cabinets. Instruct staff members to contact the pharmacy if they identify a potential problem so the pharmacist can affix warning labels on these drugs (Smetzer, 2001)
· To limit errors, use an effective unit-dose system (Smetzer, 2001).
· Interruptions and noise can interfere with safe medication administration (Smetzer, 2001).
· Do not store vials of concentrated electrolyte solutions (such as potassium chloride concentrate) in patient-care units (Smetzer, 2001).
· Remove needless multiple concentrations of all drugs and solutions (Smetzer, 2001).
· Minimize drug calculations and the need to admix drugs in patient-care areas (Smetzer, 2001).
· Reduce unnecessary unit-drug stock and use of multiple-dose vials (Smetzer, 2001).
· Institute standard times for medication administration and dosing windows (Smetzer, 2001).
Lippincott videos on medication prevention:
Preventing medication errors part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCjn_aiy8sI
Preventing medication errors part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HYnK0pgESk
Preventing medication errors part 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUDqm6Vsq48
References
Mason, D. J. (2005). Making it safer, medication safety-it’s in our hands. The American Journalof Nursing, 105(3), 11.
Smetzer, J. (2001). Safer medication management. Nursing Management, 32(12), 44-48.
The Joint Commission. (2010). NPSG chapter outline and overview hospital. Retrieved from
http://www.jointcommission.org/PatientSafety/NationalPatientSafetyGoals/
To view the “do not use” abbreviation list, follow this link: http://www.jointcommission.org/PatientSafety/DoNotUseList/
· The Joint Commission sets goals for 2010.
- Goal 3 – improve the safety of using medications by labeling medications, and reducing harm from anticoagulation therapy.
- Goal 8 – accurately and completely reconcile medications across the continuum by comparing current and newly ordered medications (The Joint Commission, 2010).
· Do not store drugs with look-alike packaging or similar names in close proximity to one another in unit stock or automated dispensing cabinets. Instruct staff members to contact the pharmacy if they identify a potential problem so the pharmacist can affix warning labels on these drugs (Smetzer, 2001)
· To limit errors, use an effective unit-dose system (Smetzer, 2001).
· Interruptions and noise can interfere with safe medication administration (Smetzer, 2001).
· Do not store vials of concentrated electrolyte solutions (such as potassium chloride concentrate) in patient-care units (Smetzer, 2001).
· Remove needless multiple concentrations of all drugs and solutions (Smetzer, 2001).
· Minimize drug calculations and the need to admix drugs in patient-care areas (Smetzer, 2001).
· Reduce unnecessary unit-drug stock and use of multiple-dose vials (Smetzer, 2001).
· Institute standard times for medication administration and dosing windows (Smetzer, 2001).
Lippincott videos on medication prevention:
Preventing medication errors part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCjn_aiy8sI
Preventing medication errors part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HYnK0pgESk
Preventing medication errors part 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUDqm6Vsq48
References
Mason, D. J. (2005). Making it safer, medication safety-it’s in our hands. The American Journalof Nursing, 105(3), 11.
Smetzer, J. (2001). Safer medication management. Nursing Management, 32(12), 44-48.
The Joint Commission. (2010). NPSG chapter outline and overview hospital. Retrieved from
http://www.jointcommission.org/PatientSafety/NationalPatientSafetyGoals/
