Many medication errors occur regularly at hospitals. The following steps can be taken by healthcare providers to avoid these medication errors.
1. Ensure that the medication sheet uses only approved abbreviations. Clarify with the prescribing doctor if any abbreviation that’s not present in the medication formulary is used.
2. Always use an order form. The person who takes the order over the phone, should document the order and read it back to the prescriber.
3. Write down patient allergies on the order sheet and ensure the doctor has reviewed the list before prescribing medications.
4. Check with the hospital pharmacist for assistance with regard to questionable orders.
5. Avoid being in too much of a rush; many medication errors occur when healthcare workers don’t take the time to study patient’s chart and medication order sheet. Always double-check the medication, the right dosage and verify the patient’s name and patient’s bar code, if it is in use, before giving the medication.
6. Don’t take anything for granted. If you are not able to check the hospital computer for changes in prescriptions, don’t assume that there are no order changes.
7. If others have given the same medication to a patient, it doesn’t mean it’s safe to give it yourself. Avoid blindly following others; follow directions or you will be making a grave error.
8. If a concentrated medicine to be diluted, ensure that the correct amount of concentrate is used so that toxic effects are avoided. Do not administer direct concentrates in a hurry.
9. Healthcare centers must use only properly trained and qualified workers to administer medications.
10. Healthcare centers must hook up to the latest medical database and stay up to date on medical warnings, discontinued medications and modified dosage recommendations from the FDA.

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See www.avoidmedicalerrors.com for more information on avoiding medication errors.