Problem
Yolanda, a 68-year-old patient, returned to the pharmacy with a medication she recently picked up from the pharmacy. Yolanda stated the medication looked different from when she received the medication last month. Upon review, you notice the patient should have received a diabetes medication, Metformin, but instead received a blood pressure medication, Metoprolol.
The patient reports that she ingested 2 doses of the incorrect medication and felt nauseous and dizzy. Your pharmacy manager discussed this matter with the patient and corrected the prescription. A review of the patient's pharmacy record indicated the incorrect medication was selected when inputting the patient's prescription order. Your pharmacy manager would like you to discuss with the pharmacy team to understand medication errors, and how common errors occur and can be prevented.
• What are medication errors?
• Including the average number of patients medication errors impact each year
• Common medication errors that occur in the pharmacy
• How medication errors can be prevented in the pharmacy?
• How pharmacy staff should report medication errors?
• Including reporting that should occur before the medication reaches the patient and reporting that should occur if the patient receives the incorrect medication
• Consequences that could result from medication errors
• Include consequences that could result impacting patient, pharmacy and prescriber.