Medication Rights
How do you ensure that the right medication is given to the right patient?
Two patient identifiers. Barcode scanning.
What protocols are in place to ensure medication orders are clearly communicated and verified before administration?
Pyxis verification; reviewing orders; patient identification; and validating and verifying with the physician.
What are some alarm signals you manage?
Vitals, Call Light, Air Pressure, etc.
When any medication or solution is transferred from the original packaging to another container, what is the first thing you should do?
Label the secondary container with the original solution or medication.
What can you do to keep your patients safe?
Varies
What steps are taken to confirm the correct dosage of a medication before administration?
Checking the MAR. Checking the medication label. Barcode scanning. Double verification with 2nd team member.
How does the hospital use technology to enhance medication safety?
Barcode scanning; pyxis; electronic health records.
Whose responsibility is it to respond to a Bed Alarm?
Everyone's.
What are the two ways you should verify all medication or solution labels are accurate?
Visually and Verbally; should be done by two individuals qualified to participate in the procedure.
What safety improvements would you like to see?
Varies.
How is the timing of medication administration verified to ensure it's given at the correct time?
Verify on the MAR when the last administration was; review order time-frames.
What steps are taken to educate and train staff on recognizing and preventing common medication errors?
Yearly healthstreams; validating and verifying with peers; rounding; root cause analysis.
No, most alarm parameters need a physician order if there is to be a change.
What are examples of containers that could hold or store medications?
Syringes, medicine cups, and basins.
What does RACE and PASS stand for?
Rescue those in danger.
Alert others and activate alarm.
Contain / Close the doors.
Extinguish or Evacuate.
Pull the pin on the fire extinguisher.
Aim the nozzle at the base of the fire.
Squeeze the handle.
Sweep the nozzle back and forth.
What procedures are in place to ensure that the right route is used when administering medications?
Order verification and review.
How does the hospital handle and review medication errors or near-misses to implement improvements in safety practices?
Apparent and Root cause analysis is a systematic review of the system processes in place that led to the error. The team is focused on system failures, not individuals; oftentimes, the system is what led to the error, though human error can play a factor.
Do we have a policy that speaks to alarms in the patient care areas?
Yes; the Clinical Alarms Safety and Management Policy
In the perioperative setting, medication or solution labels should specifically include what?
Medication or solution name; strength; amount of medication or solution containing medication; diluent name and volume; and the expiration date and time.
According to the CDC, how many patients acquire a health care associated infection?
1.7 million hospitalized patients acquire a health care associated infection annually. 98,000 deaths are contributed to those infections.