1. 1 Medication Safety This module will help you medicate your patients as SAFELY as possible.

2. 2 Introduction Course Objectives: After completing this module, the learner will be able to: State the SHC definitions of medication safety events (e.g., adverse drug events and medication errors). Discuss the impact of adverse drug events and medication errors. Describe high risk medications and safe medication practices. Explain the process for reporting an adverse drug event or medication error. List four practices that can prevent medication errors and adverse events.

3. 3 “What is an ‘adverse drug event’ or ‘ADE’”?

4. 4 An Adverse Drug Event (ADE) is any harm, expected or unexpected, related to a medication. This includes those due to errors. Examples include allergic reactions, hypotension, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, etc. Adverse Drug Events

5. 5 Outnumbering wound infections, the rate of ADEs is estimated by researchers to be between two to seven (2-7) events per 100 patient admissions. These events range clinically from minor drug side effects and allergic reactions to death.

6. 6 “What is a medication error?”

7. 7 Medication Errors Medication Errors may be due to: the failure of a medication plan to be completed as intended, or the use of an incorrect medication plan to achieve a goal.

8. 8 Medication Errors Medication errors may occur at any stage of the medication process including: Selection/procurement/storage Prescribing Processing (communication related to processing and transcribing orders, compounding, packaging, labeling, dispensing and distribution). Administration Reporting/Monitoring

9. 9 Medication Errors Examples of errors include: Celebrex (anti-inflammatory) is mistaken for Celexa (antidepressant). Zyrtec (antihistamine) is mistaken for Zyprexa (antipsychotic).5 mg of Xanax is mistaken for 5 mg of Xanax. An MD’s verbal order for Toradol 15mg is mistaken for 50mg. Insulin 5u is mistaken for 50 units. Amoxicillin is ordered for a patient with a penicillin allergy.

10. 10 Medication Error Prevention…Safer Systems! Examples of safer systems include: Computerized Medication Record Systems Micromedex® Pyxis® Alaris® IV Pumps and Guardrails®

11. 11 Designing and utilizing safer systems decreases the number and severity of events. Humans make mistakes, but good systems design and continuous improvements utilizing the information obtained from error analyses have been shown to decrease errors. Medication Error Prevention …Safer Systems!

12. 12 Medication Error Prevention…What YOU can do! “How can I improve medication safety?”

13. 13 How YOU Can Prevent Errors! Respect at least these 5 basic rights: Right patient Right medication Right dose Right route Right time Refer to your site’s leaders for any additional guidance as to patient rights. Medication Error Prevention…What YOU can do!

14. 14 TJC National Patient Safety Goal: Accurately and completely reconcile medications across the continuum of care. Medication Error Prevention…What YOU can do! Upon admission, we compare the medications the organization provides to the list of the patient's current medications. A complete list of the patient's medications is communicated to the next provider of service when we refer or transfer a patient to another setting, service, practitioner or level of care within or outside the organization. Please refer to your work site for further details on realizing this goal.

15. 15 How YOU Can Prevent Errors! Complete the Admission Database. Obtain a good patient medication history of: Prescription drugs and dosages Over-the-counter drugs and dosages Herbal/alternative products Including EVERY route! Some patients incorrectly consider only oral products to be medications. Last dose Medication Error Prevention…What YOU can do!

16. 16 How YOU Can Prevent Errors! Never accept blanket “resume all meds” orders when transferring between levels of care Rewrite orders using “a medication order summary form” or a MAR copy Facilitates provision of specific orders and identifies meds which should not be continued Medication Error Prevention…What YOU can do!

17. 17 TJC National Patient Safety Goal: Patient Identification Use at least two identifiers for patients prior to administering medications. Acceptable identifiers include: Patient’s name, MR# or account#, date of birth A photo ID is appropriate in some cases (e.g., SVP, SMV, GH Behavioral Health Service). Note: Do not use the room number as one of the two identifiers! This requirement also applies to: Blood administration, Taking blood and other specimens for clinical testing, Providing any other treatments of procedures Medication Error Prevention…What YOU can do!

18. 18 Sources of acceptable identifiers include: Patient arm/wrist band. Medical Record. Medication Administration Records (MAR). Pyxis medication removal slips. Pharmacy generated medication labels. Medication Error Prevention…What YOU can do!

19. 19 TJC National Patient Safety Goal: Verbal & Telephone Orders When in doubt, ask for further clarification: Examples: Say “ one-five milligrams ” to distinguish 15 mg from 50 mg ( “ five-zero milligrams ” ). Clarify whether an order for “ nitro ” is for nitroglycerin … or nitroprusside. TJC requires we read orders back to the issuer: 1.Write it down immediately… 2.Read it back, then… 3.Get confirmation that it was understood correctly! Medication Error Prevention…What YOU can do!

20. 20 HIGH-RISK meds: Be ESPECIALLY cautious!! INSULINS Insulin, Humulin, Novolin, Novolog, Humalog… …70/30, 75/25, etc.!! These can be VERY confusing…check and re-check! Read every label, carefully, completely. Don’t hesitate to ask someone to double-check you!! Medication Error Prevention…What YOU can do!

21. 21 HIGH-RISK meds: Be ESPECIALLY cautious!! INSULINS (continued) Read the vial label very carefully to avoid confusion! Use Sharp’s insulin reference cards on name badges and in med rooms! Cards compare the onsets & durations of action See the next slide for the card graphic See your supervisor for the actual card and explanation of its usage Medication Error Prevention…What YOU can do!

22. 22 INSULIN EFFECT BLSHS B MEALS Morning Afternoon Evening Night REGULAR ASPART (Novolog) NPHLANTUS Insulin Types

23. 23 HIGH-RISK meds: Be ESPECIALLY cautious!! INSULINS (continued) Dosages: Check and re-check… Correct transcription of the insulin brand & dosage? Dosages…Is that a “4” or a “9”?...Is that “2U” or “20”? Don’t accept orders with “U” instead of “units”! Label syringes after drawing up insulin…patient ID, drug name & dose Treat one patient at a time…draw up, administer, document…next patient Always ask for a double-check Medication Error Prevention…What YOU can do!

24. 24 HIGH-RISK meds: Be ESPECIALLY cautious!! OPIOIDS Top problematic example… Morphine is NOT HYDROmorphone (Dilaudid)! Safety Pearl! … Morphine 5 mg IV = only 1 mg IV HYDROmorphone Medication Error Prevention…What YOU can do!

25. 25 HIGH-RISK meds: Be ESPECIALLY cautious!! OPIOIDS (continued) Names: Roxanol, Roxicodone, Oxycodone, Oxycontin, MS Contin… …and oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine!! These names are easily confused! Stop, check and re-check! Don’t hesitate to ask someone to double-check you!! Medication Error Prevention…What YOU can do!

26. 26 HIGH-RISK meds: Be ESPECIALLY cautious!! Other high-risk meds include: Cancer chemotherapy agents: Accept verbal/telephone orders only in true emergencies Double-check transcription and medication against the order Anticoagulants: Heparin: Ask for a dosage double-check, and document it Use the standard order sets, dosage guidelines, and Alaris units/hr Warfarin: Orders can change frequently; check transcriptions closely! Paralyzing agents: READ THE LABEL…to avoid fatal errors! Medication Error Prevention…What YOU can do!

27. 27 Medication Error Prevention…What YOU can do! Error-prone… DON’T Use! MisinterpretationIntended MeaningPreferred SAFER Practice! No zero before medication decimal dose (e.g.,.5 mg) Misread as 5 mg0.5 mg Always use zero before a decimal when the dose is less than a whole unit. “Lead…” Zero after medication decimal point (e.g., 1.0) Misread as 10 mg if the decimal point is not seen. 1 mg “…don’t follow!” Do not use terminal zeroes for drug doses expressed in whole numbers. Avoid problem-prone abbreviations or dosage expressions: These abbreviations must always be clarified before carrying them out, except in emergencies.

28. 28 Error-prone… DON’T Use! MisinterpretationIntended MeaningPreferred SAFER Practice! U or u Misread as zero (0) or a four (4), causing serious overdoses Unit “Unit” has no acceptable abbreviation. Write out “Unit” IU Misread as IV (intravenous) International Unit Write out “International Unit” Medication Error Prevention…What YOU can do! Avoid problem-prone abbreviations or dosage expressions: These abbreviations must always be clarified before carrying them out, except in emergencies.

29. 29 Error-prone… DON’T Use! MisinterpretationIntended MeaningPreferred SAFER Practice! QOD Mistaken as QID, especially if the period after the “q” or the tail of the “q” is misunderstood as an “I”. Every Other Day Write out “Every Other Day” q.d. or QD Mistaken as QID, especially if the period after the “q” or the tail of the “q” is misunderstood as an “I”. Daily or Every DayWrite out “Daily” Medication Error Prevention…What YOU can do! Avoid problem-prone abbreviations or dosage expressions: These abbreviations must always be clarified before carrying them out, except in emergencies.

30. 30 Error-prone… DON’T Use! MisinterpretationIntended MeaningPreferred SAFER Practice! MS and MSO4 Misread as magnesium sulfate Morphine or Morphine Sulfate Write out “Morphine” or “Morphine sulfate” MgSO4 Misread as Morphine sulfate Magnesium sulfate Write out “Magnesium sulfate” Medication Error Prevention…What YOU can do! Avoid problem-prone abbreviations or dosage expressions: These abbreviations must always be clarified before carrying them out, except in emergencies.

31. 31 Examples… Leading decimal points…lead to errors!! After receiving an overdose for several weeks, the patient was admitted to the hospital for hyperthyroidism and weight loss. The error was recognized during a medical history when the patient showed a physician the prescription container label. SAFER!: Lead with 0 when dosage is less than a whole unit, e.g., 0.1

32. 32 Examples… SAFER!...Make sure the decimal point is OBVIOUS! Missing the point entirely! A line may interfere with the observation of a decimal point. The order for 20.4 mg of Cisplatin (chemotherapy) was interpreted as 204 mg, resulting in a ten fold overdose and death.

33. 33 Examples… “U” is easily mistaken for “4” or “0” An accident waiting (impatiently) to happen!! 60 units of insulin were given, not 6!! SAFER!...WRITE OUT “UNITS”

34. 34 “QOD” has been written poorly, misinterpreted as QID or QD. SAFER!...WRITE OUT “Every Other Day” Examples…

35. 35 “QD”?? “Q6”?? Examples… SAFER!...WRITE OUT “Daily”

36. 36 Avoid problem-prone abbreviations or dosage expressions: These three abbreviations require clarification only when they are unclear (i.e., not always). Medication Error Prevention…What YOU can do! Error-prone… DON’T Use! MisinterpretationIntended MeaningPreferred SAFER Practice! @ Misread as 0 (zero), causing 10-fold overdoses atWrite out “at” Misread as mg (milligrams), a 1,000 fold difference microgramsUse “mcg” cc Misread as U (units) or a zero or zeroes when poorly written Cubic centimeter, i.e., same as milliliter Use “ml” or “mL” for milliliters ug or µg

37. 37 What’s wrong with this picture? Read the label! Manufacturers often use similarly appearing label formats on several products (fonts, colors, etc.) (enalaprilat is for high blood pressure…pancuronium is a paralyzing agent!!) Examples…

38. 38 Management and Reporting Whether preventable or not, the medication event must be managed and reported. The purpose of reporting is to guide medication system improvement.

39. 39 Medication safety event management consists of: Providing care to the patient. Notifying the physician. Reporting the event to Pharmacy, via a QVR, verbally, or otherwise, as appropriate.

40. 40 Management and Reporting Reporting consists of: Completing a QVR for harmful events. Also use the QVR whenever a written account of a harmless event is needed. Tell your pharmacist…or utilize the Medication Safety Reporting Hotline (788-DRUG* or 858-499-DRUG) to verbally report harmless errors or conditions that may lead to errors. Dialing 9 is not necessary to call 788-DRUG from within Sharp facilities. NOTE: This is a NEW number as of March 2007

41. 41 If you remember nothing else… TJC National Patient Safety Goals… Avoid error-prone abbreviations, Discourage verbal and telephone orders (VO/TO’s) Read back any VO/TO’s and critical results, Use TWO patient identifiers (not the room number) Reconcile medications upon admission, transfer, and discharge

42. 42 If you remember nothing else… Never assume anything…when in doubt, ask for help! Double- check, insulins, opioids, heparin, warfarin, chemotherapy Morphine is NOT HYDROmorphone! morphine 5 mg IV = HYDROmorphone 1 mg!! (very potent) Report conditions which could lead to medication errors… ….before they happen!

43. 43 Exit Click the Take Test button on the left side of the screen when you are ready to complete the requirements for this course. Choose the My Records button to view your transcript. Select Exit to close the Student Interface.