Preventing Medication Error
To help prevent
errors, perform ‘three checks’ and “six rights’’ when giving medication.
Check each medication three times as a nurse:
·
BEFORE you our mix or
draw up a medication, check its label against the
entry on the MAR. be sure that the name, route, dose, and time match the MAR
entry. [medication administration record]
·
AFTER you prepare the
medication, and before returning the container to the medication cart or
discarding anything, check the label against the MAR entry again.
·
AT THE BEDSIDE, check the medication again before actually administering it.
Observing the “three checks” rule will help you to practice the
“six rights”
Practicing the six
rights’ will help to ensure accurate administration. This means the nurses will
give the right medication to Right patient, by using Right dose, at the Right
route in a Right time, and Right document ation is necessory for medication
administration.
·
Always check the doctor order before administer.
·
Be sure that the dose is within the recommended range for the
patients age and condition.
·
Exact time of administration of the medication is needed.
·
Be sure that the drug is in the proper form for the route
ordered. Be sure about site of administration.
·
Always double check the patients identification. To ensure
correct patient.
·
After administering of medication, document it immediately on the
patients case sheet.
In addition to the”
“six rights” already discussed, patients also have the following rights.
Right to not receive unnecessary medication,
for example sleeping pill should be give because the patient is very anxious or
cannot sleep not for the convenience of the caregivers.
This means that you tell the patient about
name of the medication, why it is being given, its action, and potential side
effects
The patient always as a right to refuse a
medication.
Medication error can
be defined as ‘a failure in the treatment process that leads to, or has the
potential to lead to, harm to the patient’.
Medication errors can occur in:
·
choosing a medicine—irrational, inappropriate, and ineffective
prescribing, underprescribing and overprescribing;
·
writing the prescription— prescription errors, including
illegibility;
·
manufacturing the formulation to be used—wrong strength,
contaminants or adulterants, wrong or misleading packaging;
·
dispensing the formulation—wrong drug, wrong formulation, wrong
label;
·
administering or taking
the drug—wrong dose, wrong route, wrong frequency, wrong duration;
·
monitoring therapy—failing to alter therapy when required,
erroneous alteration.
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