MEDICATION ERRORS

 

What is the definition of a medication error?

"prescription error The term "medication error" refers to an incident that may be avoided that may result in improper pharmaceutical use or patient harm when the medication is in the hands of a healthcare provider, patient, or consumer.. Professional practise, health care items, methods, and systems, such as prescribing, order communication, product labelling, packaging, and nomenclature, compounding, dispensing, distribution, administration, Such events might have an impact on monitoring, use, and education.

                        

                      

Prescription, dispensing, and administration errors all these are the examples of medicine errors. Every year in the United States, they hurt hundreds and thousands of individuals. However, the majority of drug errors can be avoided

Taking an active role in your own health care is one of the best strategies to lower your chance of a drug error. We shouldn’t  be afraid to ask  doctor, pharmacist, or other health care providers questions or express concerns.

What are prescription errors, exactly?

Medication mistakes are incidents that can be avoided if the drugs are used incorrectly. Preventable adverse drug events are medication errors that will cause harm. A potential adverse drug event occurs when a pharmaceutical error occurs but no one is harmed due to that.

Taking the OTC medication containing acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) when you are  already taking a prescription pain reliever that has this precise chemical is an example of a pharmaceutical error or a medication error. This oversight could result in you in taking more acetaminophen than suggested, by this you are putting your liver at danger. Taking fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem), a medication for depression, with sumatriptan, a migraine medicine, is another example of a probable medication error (Imitrex). Both medications have an effect on serotonin levels in the brain. When used simultaneously, they can cause serotonin syndrome, a potentially fatal illness. Confusion, excitement, rapid heartbeat, and raised body temperature are all the symptoms of the harmful medication interaction.

 

TYPES OF MEDICATION ERRORS:

Knowing what you are against will allow you to take the precautions. These are the most typical causes of pharmaceutical errors:

Your doctors' lack of communication

You and your doctors aren't communicating well.

Drug names that sound the same and medicines that look the same are two cases of drug names that are similar.

Serotonin is a chemical that has medical acronyms. When used simultaneously, they can cause serotonin syndrome, a potentially fatal illness. Confusion, excitement, rapid heartbeat, and raised body temperature are among the symptoms of the harmful medication interaction.

Medication reconciliation is a type of  safety technique that entails comparing your health care provider's current list of drugs with the list of medications you're now taking. This procedure is carried out in order to prevent drug errors such as:

Medication that has gone missing (omissions)

Medication duplication

Errors in dosage

Interactions between drugs

                     

Every time new prescriptions are ordered or existing orders are revised, medication reconciliation should be performed. Changes in the setting (such as being admitted or discharged from the hospital), health care provider, or degree of the  treatment are all examples of changes in care. Giving your health care professionals the most up-to-date information gives them the clearest picture of your situation and helps them reduce prescription errors.

When it comes to pharmaceuticals and your health, "don't ask, don't tell" is never a good idea. If something doesn't seem right, don't be afraid to ask questions or notify your doctor. Remember, you're the last line of defence when it comes to pharmaceutical mistakes. If you encounter problems with a medicine despite your best efforts, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about whether you should report it to MedWatch, the FDA's safety and adverse event reporting programme. MedWatch reporting is simple, private, and confidential, and it can help others from being hurt by prescription errors.

REPORTING THE MEDICATION ERRORS:

Medication mistakes can be reported to a number of different organisations by both health care professionals and patients. The Institute of Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) and the Food and Drug Administration are two examples (FDA). Error submissions are also reviewed by these entities jointly. Case reports are used to educate health-care providers about errors and near-misses. In rare circumstances, the FDA may collaborate with drug makers and others to alert them to issues with pharmaceutical labelling, packaging, and nomenclature so that modifications can be made to lessen the risk of medication errors.

AMCP has expressed support for a medication error reporting system that encourages participation while maintaining the confidentiality and security of the information submitted and the person(s) reporting. To be effective, a pharmaceutical mistake reporting system must provide safeguards for people who report errors. Pharmacists frequently regard obligatory reporting laws and regulations as punishing, particularly when public disclosure is required. Because the consequences of reporting could include lawsuits, regulatory enforcement actions, pharmacy licence forfeiture, and loss of professional reputation with attendant loss of business, compliance with such programmes is likely to be less than ideal.

PREVENTING MEDICATION ERRORS:

PATIENT  COUNSELLING :

As part of any mistake prevention programme, health care workers must give comprehensive patient education regarding the proper use of their medications. Patient education allows them to take an active role in their health care and reduces the risk of errors. The following are some examples of patient instructions that can assist reduce medication errors:

1. Know your drugs' names and indications.

2. Go over the drug information page that your pharmacist has given you.

3. Do not provide your drugs to anyone else.

4. Check the expiration dates on your prescriptions and discard any that have beyond their expiration date.

5. Educate yourself on proper medicine storage.

6. Keep medications out of children's reach.

7. Become familiar with any drug interactions and cautions.

Patients themselves can help reduce medical errors in addition to healthcare professionals and institutions. By learning not only the names of their prescriptions but also the justification for their use, the appropriate times to administer them, and the precise dosage, patients can serve as the system's final check. Carrying a constantly updated list of drugs can be quite useful in the emergency or when patients are unable to speak for themselves. This lessens the possibility of misconceptions or inaccurate information. Many errors can also be avoided when people can take an active and informed role in their own health care.