Medication Safety Update: Preventing Errors and Adverse Drug Reactions – Florida Board Approved- Pharmacist
Price
Credits
Format
The “Oath of a Pharmacist” that is recited at pharmacy
school graduations emphasizes the importance of medication
safety in the profession. The passage says, “I will apply my
knowledge, experience, and skills to the best of my ability to assure
optimal outcomes for my patients.” Despite these efforts,
preventable adverse events related to medications do occur, and
all health care professionals can play an integral role in reducing
them. Health care professionals need a broad understanding
of the issues surrounding medication errors and adverse drug
events (ADEs) in order to improve patient safety. Medication
errors can occur at any step from prescribing to dispensing a
medication, as well as during administration by a patient or
caregiver. An ADE occurs when a patient experiences harm
from a medication. Medication errors that reach patients and
cause any amount of harm are termed preventable ADEs.
In 2018, 59 new drugs were approved – the greatest number
of approvals in over 20 years. Staying abreast of medication
information is a daunting task; however, it is an essential part of
preventing medication-related problems. An interdisciplinary
approach involving physicians, pharmacists, nurses, patients,
and other care providers is key to promoting medication safety
in the outpatient setting.