Strategies for Medication Administration Safety

The correct and safe administration of medications to patients is a very important part of patient health care. Hospitals, pharmacies and other medical institutions work diligently to ensure that every patient is receiving the correct medication in the prescribed dosage. If distributed incorrectly, a patient taking the wrong kind of medication---or too much of it---can develop new symptoms or illnesses, or could possibly even die.

Barcoding

• Hospitals have recently begun affixing patient-specific barcodes to each patient's medications. These barcodes help hospital employees track the dosage of the medication through the day. It also helps to keep track of the changes made to each patient's prescriptions and gives workers a chain of custody for the medication should an accident happen. An individual barcode is assigned to each patient when he or she is admitted to the hospital. This barcode is affixed to the patient's ID bracelet as well as all patient charts, foods and medications to electronically keep track of the patient's medical records while in the hospital.

Double-checking

• One of the easiest ways to prevent faulty medication administration is to double-check the medication prior to releasing it to the patient. Make sure that the correct medications and dosages are going to the correct patient. Check the medication against their medical file to make sure that there are no mistakes or overlooked allergies. If in doubt, you can also have an authorized co-worker double-check your work to make sure that the medication is being administered properly.

Double Authorization

• Some highly controlled medications such as lithium for mental patients may require that both a doctor and a registered nurse sign off on the administration of the medication before it is taken to the patient. This system of checks and balances makes sure that the prescribed medication does not interfere with any other medication the patient may be taking. It also helps to make sure that the patient is receiving the correct medication for his condition, similar to asking a doctor for a second opinion.