Medication errors are the most common preventable cause of injury to patients. Although many of these medical mistakes are minor, some result in severe injury or death. Errors in prescribing, dispensing, or administering medicines are most frequent in intensive care units, where patients may be given up to 25 medications a day.
What are the Prevention Strategies for Medication Errors?
Healthcare organizations should implement strategies to prevent medication errors and ensure patient safety. Comprehensive prevention strategies should include the following:
- Standardized protocols for prescribing, dispensing, and administering medications
- Checklists and guidelines for administration
- Training and competency assessments of healthcare providers
- Implementation of computerized systems to remove handwriting issues, provide decision support, and reduce errors in medication orders
- Barcoding systems for dispensing and administering medications
- Electronic health records (EHRs) to track patient information, including allergies and medication history
- Standardized communication tools and minimization of verbal orders
- Optimization of environments for medication preparation and administration, which may include providing adequate lighting and minimizing distractions and interruptions
- Improvements in labeling and packaging to ensure all medication labels are clear, legible, and complete
