Medication Errors

Course overview

Medication errors can occur at any stage of the prescription, administration, or monitoring of a drug. These preventable events can harm a patient. The identification and prevention of medication errors require an understanding of the root causes of medication errors. Once root causes are identified, a pharmacist can implement procedures and protocols to reduce and prevent medication errors, thereby promoting patient safety. If a medication error occurs, clinicians must know whether the error must be reported and when it should be reported. This course does not provide legal advice. Pharmacy staff should consult with their employer, a legal advisor, supervisor, online resources, or licensing boards to determine the laws regarding medication errors, incident report requirements, and reporting to governmental entities or patients. Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians can work collaboratively with health care teams to reduce and prevent future medication errors.