Medication Safety Quiz

Medication Errors: Causes and Prevention

• Common daily obstructions contributing to medication errors include stress, noise, multitasking, and medication names that sound alike.
• Orders from different sources are not considered a direct cause of errors.

ASHP Common Causes of Medication Errors

• Drug product nomenclature, improper transcription, and inappropriate abbreviations contribute to medication errors.
• Bar code usage is known to reduce medication errors and is not a common cause of errors.

Warfarin (Coumadin) Interactions

• Warfarin can interact with aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), increasing the bleeding risk.

Reporting Drug Errors

• Drug errors can be reported through MedWatch, a program by the FDA for reporting drug safety issues and adverse events.

Medication Errors and Allergies

• Medication errors often involve allergic reactions, multiple medications, and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs.
• Approximately 50% of Americans aged 55 and older take prescription drugs, leading to an increased risk of drug-drug interactions.

High-Alert IV Medications

• Insulin, heparin, and potassium chloride (KCl) are classified as high-alert medications by the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP).
• Penicillin is not listed among high-alert IV medications by ISMP.

Medication Checking Protocol

• Technicians should check medications three times during the filling process to ensure accuracy and safety.

Adverse Drug Reactions (ADR)

• ADR stands for adverse drug reaction, highlighting negative effects caused by medication use.

Workplace Distractions

• Telephones ringing are unavoidable workplace distractions that can lead to medication errors.
• Employee conversations and text message alerts can also be distracting during the prescription filling process.

Labeling Improvements to Reduce Errors

• Drug companies are encouraged to implement labeling changes such as tall-man lettering, color coding, and boldface lettering to reduce misinterpretation.