{"id":74,"date":"2019-10-20T00:00:31","date_gmt":"2019-10-20T00:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.publishdot.com\/nursingpharmacology\/chapter\/2-5-preventing-medication-errors\/"},"modified":"2021-12-07T10:52:14","modified_gmt":"2021-12-07T10:52:14","slug":"2-5-preventing-medication-errors","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.publishdot.com\/nursingpharmacology\/chapter\/2-5-preventing-medication-errors\/","title":{"raw":"2.5 Preventing Medication Errors","rendered":"2.5 Preventing Medication Errors"},"content":{"raw":"When a nurse administers medication, the ultimate goal is to provide patient safety and to prevent harm from medications. However, medical errors and adverse effects of medication therapy continue to be a significant problem in the United States. This section will discuss initiatives established by the Institute of Medicine (IOM), the World Health Organization (WHO), the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP), and Quality and Safe Education for Nurses (QSEN).\n

Institute of Medication (IOM)<\/h2>\n

IOM Report: To Err is Human<\/h3>\nThe national focus on reducing medical errors has been in place for almost two decades. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) released an initial report in 1999 titled To Err is Human: Building a Safer Health System<\/em>. The report stated that at that time, errors caused between 44,000 and 98,000 deaths every year in American hospitals and over one million injuries. Health care appeared to be far behind other high-risk industries in ensuring basic safety. The IOM report called for a 50% reduction in medical errors over five\u2005years. Its goal was to break the cycle of inaction regarding medical errors by advocating a comprehensive approach to improving patient safety. The IOM 1999 report changed the nature of the patient safety conversation from focusing on dispensing blame to improving systems.[footnote]Institute of Medicine. (2000). To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health System<\/em>. The National Academies Press. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.17226\/9728<\/a> footnote]Stelfox, H. T., Palmisani, S., Scurlock, C., Orav, E. J., and Bates, D. W. (2006). The \"To Err is Human\" report and the patient safety literature. Quality & Safety in Health Care, 15<\/em>(3), 174\u2013178. doi:\u00a010.1136\/qshc.2006.017947<\/a>[\/footnote]<\/sup>\n

IOM: Preventing Medication Errors<\/h3>\nDespite the progress made in patient safety since the To Err is Human<\/em> report, medication errors remain extremely common, and the national health care system continues to implement initiatives to prevent error. In 2007, the IOM published a followup report titled Preventing Medication Errors, <\/em>reporting that more than 1.5 million Americans are injured every year in American hospitals, and the average hospitalized patient experiences at least one medication error each day. This report emphasized actions that health care systems, providers, funders, and regulators could take to improve medication safety. These recommendations included actions such as having all U.S. prescriptions written and dispensed electronically, promoting widespread use of medication reconciliation, and performing additional research on drug errors and their prevention. The report also emphasized actions that patients can take to prevent medication errors, such as maintaining active medication lists and bringing their medications to appointments for review.[footnote]Institute of Medicine. (2007). Preventing medication errors.<\/em> The National Academies Press. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.17226\/11623<\/a>[\/footnote]<\/sup>\n\nThe Preventing Medication Errors<\/em> report included specific actions for nurses to improve medication safety. Figure 2.2 lists these key actions.[footnote]<\/sup>Institute of Medicine. (2007). Preventing medication errors.<\/em> The National Academies Press. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.17226\/11623<\/a>[\/footnote]<\/sup>\n
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Improving Medication Safety: Actions for Nurses<\/h3>\n