Prescribing Errors Flashcards

1
Q

What is a medication error

A

Any preventable event that may cause or lead to inappropriate medication use or patient harm, while medication is in the control of the health care professional, patient or consumer

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2
Q

At what stage can a medication error occur

A

At any stage of the process involved in the delivery of medicines to a patient
Prescribing, dispensing, labelling, administration and even when the patient uses the medicines him/herself

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3
Q

What are the four most common drug groups associated with preventable drug-releated hospital admission

A

Antiplatelets
Diuretics
NSAIDs
Anticoagulants

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4
Q

When are healthcare professionals more likely to make errors

A
Inexperienced 
Inattentive
Rushed 
Distracted
Tired
Depressed
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5
Q

Why do medication errors happen

A
Increase in numbers and variety of drugs
Patients have co-morbidities
Complexity of care process (multiple specialists, care settings, care delivery paths/journeys)
Need for high risk medications
Number of prescribers
OTC usage
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6
Q

How does a prescribing error result

A

A clinically meaningful prescribing error occurs when, as a result of a prescribing decision or prescription writing process, there is an unintentional significant:

  • Reduction in the probability of treatment being timely and effective or
  • Increase in the risk of harm when compared with generally accepted practice
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7
Q

What are the two processes that can be involved in a prescribing error

A

Prescribing decision

Prescription writing

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8
Q

What is a prescribing fault

A

Failures in the process of deciding which drug to use and how

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9
Q

What is a prescribing error

A

Failures in the prescription writing process that result in wrong instructions about one or more of the normal features of a prescription

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10
Q

What type of prescription writing errors can occur

A
Wrong Patient
Abbreviation  
Incomplete Rx
Missing instructions 
Omission of signature 
Incorrect drug 
Illegible
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11
Q

What type of prescription decision errors can occur

A

CI to medication
Duplication
Allergy
Drug-drug interaction

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12
Q

What kind of prescription writing and decision errors can occur

A
Duration
Omission 
Timing
Frequency
Route
Dose
Formulation
No indication
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13
Q

What is a mistake

A

Errors that arise from poor planning or inadequate knowledge are characterized

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14
Q

What is a slip

A

Those that arise from imperfect execution of well-formulated plans when an erroneous act is committed

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15
Q

What is a lapse

A

When a correct act is omitted

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16
Q

What types of tasks are prone to error

A

Tasks that are unfamiliar to the operator or performed under pressure
Tasks that require the calculation of a dosage or dilution are especially susceptible to error

17
Q

In what departments of the hospital are medication error rates higher

A

Paediatric

ICU

18
Q

What are the 5 Rs

A
Right patient
Right drug
Right route
Right time
Right dose
19
Q

What types of errors can occur

A

Medication omitted
Incomplete prescription
Incorrect dose
Incorrect frequency (correct total daily dose, incorrect total daily dose)

20
Q

What type of incorrect doses can occur

A

Sub therapeutic

Super-therapeutic

21
Q

When can errors occur

A
Admission
Transcription of a new drug chart
Discharge
Remainder of inpatient stay
While decanting
22
Q

What us the 6th R

A

Right formulation

23
Q

What drug properties should be though of when prescribing

A

Mechanism of action
Pharmacokinetics
ADRs, Interactions
Protocol

24
Q

What should be considered before prescribing

A

The patient’s medication history

Other factors that might alter the benefits and risks of treatment