Download Chapter 9

Preventing Medication Errors
Chapter 9
Safe Medication Administration
• Prescription
– Licensed providers must have authority within
their state to write prescriptions
– Nurses play an important role in preventing
errors at this step
– Includes verbal orders
• Repeat and verify all verbal orders for accuracy
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Safe Medication Administration
• Transcription
– Patient’s name
– Date and time written
– Drug name and dosage
– Route of administration
– Frequency or time of administration
– Prescriber’s signature
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Safe Medication Administration
• 6 Rights
– Right drug
– Right route
– Right patient
– Right dose
– Right time
– Right documentation
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Right Drug
• Check medication label
– On first contact with drug
– Prior to measuring (pouring, counting or
withdrawing)
– After obtaining the drug, just prior to
administration
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Right Patient
• Correctly identify patient prior to
medication administration
– Compare armband with medication
administration record
– Ask the patient to state his name
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Right Route
• Consult a drug information source to
confirm correct route
• Many need to change or clarify forms or
routes of the drug for safe medication
administration
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Right Time
• Order should include frequency of
administration
• Use safe abbreviations
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Right Dose
• Carefully read and clarify drug orders
• Recheck labels
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Right Dose
• Have two nurses double check potent
medications
– Common sources of errors
• e.g. Insulin
• Consult drug references
• Accurate dosage calculations
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Right Documentation
• Document after administration
• Omitting documentation can result in over
or undermedication
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