- Monographs -

High Alert Drugs: Addressing Potential Errors Proactively

Activity Description Patient safety is of utmost importance within health-systems; yet, medication errors continue at an alarming rate. Regulatory and accrediting organizations have developed standards addressing medication safety; however, additional focus by these organizations is likely. Implementation of technology to help prevent medication errors has been slow due to the cost and resources required. This monograph will identify medications and processes prone to error and describe how medication infusion technologies may help prevent those errors. Additionally, this activity reviews the data generated by medication administration technology and describes how to use this data to assist in quality improvement programs to reduce medication errors.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this activity, pharmacists and nurses will be able to:

• Identify medications and processes within the drug use system prone to error

• List current and potential error-prevention regulations and standards impacting health-systems

• Outline the advantages and disadvantages of currently available technologies designed to reduce the risk of medication errors

• Develop an implementation plan for intelligent infusion technology

• Describe the role of the health-system pharmacist and data generated by medication administration technologies in quality improvement strategies to minimize medication errors

Upon completion of this activity, pharmacy technicians will be able to:

• Define patient safety interventions developed since the publication of the original Institute of Medicine Reports

• Define medication errors and how they appear within the medication-use system

• Outline methods to improve safety of high-alert medications

• Outline a process to implement intelligent pump technology in a hospital

Faculty

Burnis D. Breland, M.S., Pharm.D., FASHP
Director of Pharmacy
Columbus Regional Healthcare System
The Medical Center, Inc.
Columbus, Georgia

Philip J. Schneider, M.S., FASHP
Clinical Professor and Director
Latiolais Leadership Program
College of Pharmacy
The Ohio State University
Columbus, Ohio

CE Accreditation:

Release Date: 03-11-2011
Expiration Date: 03-11-2014

Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians:
ProCE, Inc. is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education. ACPE Universal Activity Number 221-000-11-022-H05-P/T has been assigned to this knowledge-based home-study CE activity (initial release date 03-11-11). This activity is approved for 1.5 contact hours (0.15 CEUs) in states that recognize ACPE providers. The activity is provided at no cost to participants. Statements of credit will be issued online upon completion of the activity evaluation and the post-test with a score of 70% or higher. No partial credit will be given.

Nurses:
Nurse CE is provided for this activity through collaboration between ProCE, Inc. and Wild Iris Medical Education, Inc. Wild Iris Medical Education, Inc. is accredited as a provider of continuing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation. This activity provides 1.5 contact hours of nurse CE credit.

Disclosure Statements

It is the policy of ProCE, Inc. to require the disclosure of the existence of any significant financial interest or any other relationship a faculty member or a sponsor has with the manufacturer of any commercial product(s) discussed in an educational presentation. Dr. Breland reports receiving grant funding from Hospira, Inc. and serving as faculty for Hospira funded educational activities. Mr. Schneider reports serving as a speaker or consultant for Baxter Healthcare, Cardinal Health, and Hospira, Inc. Please note: The information and views presented in this monograph are those of the faculty through clinical practice and knowledge of the professional literature. Portions of this activity may include the use of drugs and/or devices for unlabeled indications. Use of drugs and/or devices outside of labeling should be considered experimental. Participants are advised to consult and verify manufacturer product information, the professional literature and use his/her professional judgment in applying the presented information in patient care activities.

Funding

This activity was supported by an unrestricted educational grant from Hospira, Inc.