People make mistakes all the time. However, in the healthcare industry, there is no room for errors. The simplest mistakes can worsen someone’s health or even take their life. So, all healthcare professionals must be trained to assist clients with medication.
If you’re new to the industry or switching careers, you might wonder what the common types of medication errors are. Today, we will discuss this topic in detail. From prescribing medicines to following directions, here are five common medication mistakes to avoid at all costs!
1. Prescription
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Medical professionals are taught to follow a proper method for prescribing medicines. One should check the patient’s medical history for allergies and past illnesses. This is used to recommend the most suitable medicines for their current condition.
If you don’t do this, you can end up suggesting a medicine that may interact with certain substances in the body and cause unwanted reactions. The patient’s health may actually worsen.
2. Dosage
There are two scenarios where a dosage mistake occurs. First is when the doctor recommends the wrong intake of the medicine. Since the patient or nurse will be following the doctor’s recommendations, they are not at fault for consuming the wrong dose.
The second is when a nurse measures out the wrong dosage and gives it to the patient. It might happen because of carelessness, forgetfulness, stress, or any other reason. Since the nurse wasn’t diligent enough to recheck the dosage, the responsibility falls on their shoulders.
It’s important to remember that dosing mistakes are usually fatal. More than 100,000 Americans die each year because of these prescribed drugs. So, one needs to be very attentive and careful when recommending the dosage.
3. Administration
Every medicine has a different method of administration. They can be taken orally, topically, or infused into your body through a tool. Some medicines have even more specific requirements, such as being held inside the cheek or injected into a particular muscle.
The doctor decides which method is most effective for the treatment. If a medicine is oral, it will also have instructions, such as consuming it after a full meal only or avoiding certain foods after consumption. As a professional, you must recommend the right route of administration to the patient – one that is effective and doesn’t react adversely with other medications.
4. Consent
Diagnosing an illness and suggesting the appropriate treatment is not enough. You must make the patient aware of the entire treatment process and its consequences. Your patient should know how exactly the medication will affect them. This allows them to provide consent for the treatment. Assuming that all patients will like to get the suggested treatment is a huge mistake and should be avoided at all costs.
5. Directions
Lastly, while you can’t control how a medicine is self-administered, you can supervise it in a hospital setting. Nurses help patients with medicine intake at the hospital and follow up with whatever might be needed to make them feel better.
So, be it the doctor or the nurse, one must make sure the right directions are followed throughout the process. Not a single step should be missed or overlooked, as it can risk the patient’s well-being.
6. Cost Management
Medication errors aren’t the only concern for patients; the cost of prescriptions can also be a challenge. To help manage expenses, patients can take advantage of cost-saving options like prescription coupons. For instance, you can save money with a Cialis coupon when purchasing medication for erectile dysfunction. By utilizing coupons or discount programs, patients can access their medications at a more affordable price, ensuring they adhere to their treatment plans without financial strain.
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