In the United States, over 200,000 preventable medical errors reportedly result in death every year. Medication errors are actually ranked as the third leading cause of death in the United States.
Patients have the right to be given the right dosage and proper medicine. Errors may happen, both at the hospital stage and later, at the pharmacy. A tiny mistake in prescribing doses or in reading the prescription could cause grave damage to the patient’s health.
These errors often surface following everyday challenges, such as a heavy workload, unclear instructions, or similar-sounding drug names. According to medication error lawyer Margaret Branch, you can pursue legal action if given incorrect medication, but not all such instances warrant filing an injury claim.
Let’s learn some of the common causes of medication errors so you’ll know what to do in case you have experienced it.
Miscommunication Among Healthcare Professionals
Medication errors can occur when health workers fail to communicate clearly. Collaborative healthcare requires communication to be above all else with patient safety in mind.
Errors are likely to occur if nurses, doctors, and pharmacists do not communicate during dosage or medication mishaps, especially if they are too preoccupied with their work.
It is important enough to request and confirm information during handoffs or rounds. Active participation from both parties helps maintain a shared understanding and fosters a safe environment.
Encouraging such discussions further will foster trust among team members and can benefit the patient. You can voice your opinion, share your thoughts, and support your colleagues in creating an open environment for communication and the prevention of medication errors. If you or your loved one has been harmed by such mistakes, you may also seek help through Consumer Assistance programs, which provide patients with resources, advocacy, and guidance on how to address medical errors and protect their rights.
Inadequate Labeling and Packaging
Incorrect labeling and flawed packaging of medications may lead to errors that place patient safety at risk. You might think nothing of clear labels until an error. Personnel can become confused by medications with poor labeling, particularly in hectic environments like hospitals.
Imagine receiving an incorrect dose or an entirely different drug as a result of a packaging’s failure to clearly present itself or convey instructions. The absence of safety may make you feel frustrated. Healthcare providers should have very specific names on the labels for medicines, and they should have packaging that is clear and informative.
When you stand up for this cause, you help to create an environment that assures safety and confidence in every product a person buys. You must eliminate such hazards for safer practice.
High Workload and Staff Fatigue
An increased workload and tiredness can enhance medication mishaps in healthcare setups. A toxic environment that has a high workload can give way to weariness and failure to carefully verify the medicine and procedure to be administered for a patient.
An exhausted healthcare worker might confuse one dose for another or neglect to have a prescription double-checked. This type of negligence can lead to death. Workplace stress creates an environment conducive to errors, leaving you feeling isolated.
A workplace culture where the workload is bearable minimizes errors and provides for safe patient care. Do remember to care for yourself too.
Complex Medication Regimens
In situations involving complicated drug therapies, patient care grows even more difficult: multiple active drug prescriptions and several dosage schedules are involved. Taking several medications can sometimes be confusing and lead to error.
Some might stress over canceling a label or missing a vital dose. An unclear instruction leads to a wrong drug or an inappropriate dosage.
There must always be clear and definite communication with the health staff since patient safety is involved. If you ever feel a doubt or have a question about any medicine given to you, you should never refrain from asking or clarifying. Keeping a prescription would actually help you to know what to take, how many to take, and at what time to take it.
Never be shy to speak out for your safer use of medicine or any other health outcome.
Lack of Standardized Procedures
When healthcare systems fail to enforce standard protocols, they remain largely prone to errors. Lack of guidelines openly generates unpredictability about the details of an order or, worse, can produce problems while trying to recall the specifics of a particular drug concerning either its name or dose, or even the time. Sometimes such uncertainty gives way to confusion.
This difference creates a barrier between you and your colleagues. It creates a chaotic atmosphere where errors can quickly take place. Imagine working in a big team where every fellow nurse follows one protocol and is aware of their roles.
Such procedures build trust and support each other, allowing them to have confidence in their roles. Having similar standards establishes fewer variables, more patient safety, and a harmonious and comfortable work atmosphere.
The implementation of standards in the practice of medicine creates the appropriate situation for you, your team, and the patients.
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