risks and age stuff - Sheet1 Flashcards
What are medication errors?
A major cause of morbidity and mortality, often caused by human factors, communication mistakes, or drug name confusion.
Why is the risk of med errors high in hospitals?
Complex processes and the nurse being the last line of defense.
What are some causes of medication errors?
Human factors, communication mistakes, drug name confusion, packaging issues, labeling errors, and delivery device problems.
How can med errors be reduced?
Empowering patients/families, fostering a culture of safety, using tools like computerized order entry and barcodes, avoiding error-prone abbreviations, and conducting medication reconciliation.
What abbreviations are banned by The Joint Commission (TJC)?
U, IU, QD, QOD, MS/MSO4/MgSO4, .0 (e.g., 1.0), or . (e.g., .5).
What is medication reconciliation?
A process to ensure consistency in medications during patient transitions in care.
What is the role of safety checklists?
They help prevent errors with high-alert drugs.
What is the MER Program?
A confidential system for reporting medication errors by phone, fax, or internet.
What is Just Culture?
A system focused on identifying ways to improve safety rather than assigning blame.
What is Root Cause Analysis (RCA)?
A method to investigate and address the root cause of a med error, e.g., misreading medication.
Can all drugs cross the placenta?
Yes, all drugs can cross the placenta to some extent.
Are drugs excreted in breast milk?
Many drugs are excreted in breast milk and can affect the infant.
What are Category A drugs in pregnancy?
Drugs with no risk to the fetus in any trimester (e.g., prenatal vitamins, insulin, folic acid).
What are Category B drugs in pregnancy?
No harm in animal studies, but no well-controlled studies in humans (e.g., penicillins, acetaminophen, ibuprofen in 1st & 2nd trimesters).
What are Category C drugs in pregnancy?
Adverse effects in animals, no adequate human studies (e.g., fluoroquinolones, SSRIs, corticosteroids).
What are Category D drugs in pregnancy?
Evidence of fetal risk, but benefits may outweigh risks in life-threatening cases (e.g., ACE inhibitors, alcohol, lithium, tetracyclines).
What are Category X drugs in pregnancy?
Drugs contraindicated due to evidence of fetal abnormalities (e.g., isotretinoin, methotrexate, thalidomide, warfarin).
Who are considered pediatric patients?
All patients younger than 16 years old.
Why are pediatric patients more sensitive to drugs?
Due to organ system immaturity.
What are some considerations when prescribing drugs to pediatric patients?
- ⅔ of drugs are never tested in pediatric patients.
- 20% are ineffective for children but effective for adults.
- 30% cause unanticipated side effects.
- 20% require different dosages than extrapolated adult doses.
How are pediatric drug doses calculated?
Based on body surface area (BSA).
What is the formula for approximate pediatric dosage?
BSA+1.73m2Adult Dose
Why are children at greater risk for adverse drug reactions (ADRs)?
Vulnerability to unique adverse effects due to organ immaturity and ongoing growth/development.
What is the prevalence of prescription drug use in older adults?
High, often involving polypharmacy.
