Medication administration errors are a major concern in the healthcare industry. These types of errors can happen at any stage of the medication delivery process, starting from the prescription and dispensing phase, all the way to the administration and monitoring of medication. Such errors often result in adverse drug events, longer hospital stays, and in severe cases, life-threatening complications. Here, we discuss some of the common medication administration errors:
- Incorrect dosage
Incorrect dosages represent one of the most straightforward yet potentially dangerous errors in medication administration. Whether due to a miscalculation, misunderstanding, or miscommunication, administering an incorrect dose can result in adverse side effects and ineffective treatment.
- Wrong medication
Administering the wrong medication can occur due to similar packaging, names, or errors in prescription interpretation. Such mistakes can have severe consequences, ranging from ineffectiveness of treatment to adverse drug reactions.
- Wrong route of administration
The route of administration affects the absorption, distribution, and overall effectiveness of a medication. Administering a medication via the wrong route (e.g., oral instead of intravenous) can render it ineffective or cause harm. Training and adherence to protocols are crucial to avoid this type of error.
- Wrong time
Timing can significantly impact a medication’s effectiveness, especially for drugs with narrow therapeutic windows or those requiring administration at specific times. Incorrect timing can also disrupt treatment schedules and affect drug concentrations in the body, potentially leading to adverse effects.
- Missed doses
Missing a dose can compromise a treatment’s effectiveness, especially for medications requiring consistent blood levels to be effective. This error often results from oversight or miscommunication and can delay recovery.
- Failure to adjust dosage based on patient changes
Patients’ conditions and factors such as weight, renal function, and liver function can change over time. Failure to adjust dosage can lead to toxicity.
- Incorrect patient
Administering medication to the wrong patient can occur in busy environments or when patients have similar identifiers. This mistake can have serious implications, including allergic reactions, adverse drug interactions, and treatment failures. Strict adherence to patient identification protocols is essential to prevent such errors.
- Failure to consider drug interactions or allergies
Drug interactions can alter the effectiveness of medications or cause serious adverse reactions. Similarly, administering a drug to which a patient is allergic can have life-threatening consequences. Comprehensive patient histories and the use of drug interaction checkers are critical to avoid these errors.
Reducing medication administration errors is a complex challenge that requires a multifaceted approach, including education, protocol adherence, technology use (e.g., different types of electronic medical records, electronic medication administration record, and more), and a culture of safety that encourages reporting and addressing potential errors proactively.