Question

A staff educator is reviewing the prevention of medication errors with a group of newly licensed nurses. What should the educator include about using the nursing process to prevent medication errors?

Answer 1

The nurse educator must include the following nursing process points to prevent the medication errors :

• Check the name of the patient before administering the medication.
• Check the name of medication, dosage, frequency, timing of the medication. Also check for the expiry date.
• Ensure the five rights of medication of administration. Right patient, Right drug, right dose, right time and right route.
• Reconstitute the medication using the proper guidance given in the leaflet. Double or even triple check and follow the instructions in the leaflet.
• Be careful and place a zero before the decimal point to avoid confusion.
• Also , ensure that the person allergic information is gone through before administering medication to prevent anaphylactic complications.
• Always document the medication administered, its dosage , time and route of medication.

Thank you.