Chapter 5 Medication errors

Question 1

How many people are harmed by medical errors per year?

Answer 1

1.5 million

Question 2

Medication errors are preventable.

true or false

Answer 2

true

Question 3

What can the effects of medication errors range from?

Answer 3

from no significant effect to directly causing disability or death

Question 4

Where do the majority of fatal medication errors occur ?

Answer 4

at home

Question 5

Define Sentinel event

Answer 5

an unanticipated event in a health care setting, resulting in death or serious injury, not related to the natural course of the patients illness

Question 6

What report tells us how many medical errors occur per year?

Answer 6

Institute of Medicine

Question 7

Is the Institute of Medicine’s report on how many medical errors occur annually, accurate or are there more or less.

Answer 7

No. There are likely many more that go unreported because people don’t hide the incidents

Question 8

What is an Adverse Drug Event?

Answer 8

Any kind of Medication error

Question 9

Define Idiosyncratic reaction

Answer 9

drug reactions that occur rarely, that have no known cause and are unpredictable

Question 10

Are allergic reactions that are adverse drug events often predictable or unpredictable?

Answer 10

often predictable

Question 11

Can a preservative in a drug cause a reaction?

Answer 11

yes

it would be considered an idiosyncratic reaction, rare, random, unpredictable

Question 12

Which is responsible for more Adverse Drug Events, the combination of allergic reactions, and idiosyncratic reactions, or Medication errors?

Answer 12

Medication Errors

Question 13

Name the 6 steps in the medication process.

hint: PPTDAM

Answer 13

• Procuring
• Prescribing
• Transcribing
• Dispensing
• Administering
• Monitoring

Question 14

Medication errors can occur at any of the steps of the medication process.
true or false?

Answer 14

true

Question 15

Technology is helping up cut back on Medication errors. Why is this?

Answer 15

because Electronic Health records and electronic cues keeping everyone accountable and alerted us when there are any issues

Question 16

When a medication is said to be “high alert”, what does that mean?

Answer 16

potential for harm is greater

Question 17

What are SALAD medications?

Answer 17

Sound Alike Look Alike Drugs

Question 18

What are LASA medication?

Answer 18

Look Alike Sound Alike

Question 19

When giving/receiving a verbal order or telephone order, what three things must we do to try and prevent error?

Answer 19

• Repeat order to prescriber
• Spell drug name aloud
• Speak slowly and clearly

Question 20

Make sure you list the indications on the order if it is being given verbally and you are responsible for the written part.
true or false

Answer 20

true
(it cannot just say they can have a certain medication PRN (as needed) without it indicating what for
for example of what it needs: Tylenol PRN for headache)

Question 21

How can you prevent medication errors when it comes to the way you write out a prescription?

Answer 21

avoid medical shorthand

abbreviations, acronyms

Question 22

What is the procuring step referring to?

Answer 22

ordering

Question 23

What should you do if there is a doctor’s order for medication and it does not have the 6 rights covered on it or is illegible ? (missing information)

Answer 23

call the prescriber. Do Not Hesitate

Question 24

Never use a “trailing zero” with medication orders.

True or False and what does that mean?

Answer 24

true
it means, do not use a decimal followed by a 0 or multiple zeros, simply use the number alone
(example: do not use 1.0 mg use 1 mg so there is no misunderstanding)

Question 25

What should you do for writing out a decimal dosage?

example: less than 1 mg

Answer 25

Always write a “leading zero”
(example: if the dose is for a quarter mg, write 0.25 mg, do Not write .25 mg because that could be confused for 25 mg and that would be terrible)

Question 26

Never use a “trailing zero”
Always use a “leading zero”
true or false

Answer 26

true

Question 27

What does a patient have that makes it clear what allergies they have?

Answer 27

allergy identification bracelet

Question 28

If you make a medication error, who do you report it to?

Answer 28

to your prescriber and nursing manager

Question 29

What 3 steps are involved in Medication Reconciliation?

Answer 29

• Verification (focus is on medication they are currently taking)
• Clarification (review meds and ensure that the meds and dosages are appropriate)
• Reconciliation (further investigation and documentation)

Question 30

When should medication reconciliation be done?

Answer 30

at each stage of health care delivery

• admission
• status change
• patient transfer
• discharge

Question 31

What do you do when you realize there is a medication error?

Answer 31

• stop the drug (if possible)
• report immediately to patient and prescriber
• monitor patient very carefully