Medication Safety and Administration

1
Medication Safety and Administration

• BEING EXTRA CAUTIOUS IN AN AGE WHERE DRUG
  CONTAINERS AND STRENGTHS ARE CHANGING

2
Objectives

• Create awareness that containers and medication
  strengths are and can change
• With supply difficulties, protocols and
  algorithms can change
• Conscientious delivery of appropriate medication
  and medication dose

3
You are part of the team. You can help prevent
errors by talking with your partner or taking a
second to look at the container or look up a
medication, when you are unsure or overwhelmed
What you need to know.

• Medication errors happen
• Near misses happen (when an error is discovered
  before it gets to the patient)
• Injury and even death happens from medication
  errors

4
What Can You Do To Decrease Medication Errors?

• Check and double check, if in doubt check it out,
  again!
• Follow the 3 Rs right drug, right dose, right
  route
• Never assume that the dose is the same, solutions
  change
• Know the correct mg/kg dose of medications you
  are administering.
• Know why you are giving the medication, the
  expected action, and any potential side effects.

5
What Else Can You Do To Decrease Medication
Errors?

• Stop!! if you have concerns or questions do not
  give the medication until you feel the
  concerns/questions have been answered

6
What Else Can You Do To Decrease Medication
Errors?

• If a coworker says, hmm, that box or vial does
  not look familiar, or I think that the protocol
  changed on that, , or anything that might
  indicate an error is about to occur.stop, pick
  up the medication and re-examine it.
• Double check the medication and if necessary look
  up the protocol to clarify the orders.

7
What Else Can You Do To Decrease Medication
Errors?

• Harried? Tired? Distracted? Triple check
  yourself!

8
What Else Can You Do To Decrease Medication
Errors?

• Is this a pediatric dose? Medications doses are
  smaller then adults and are given in mg/kg!

9
Medication administration documentation

• All medications and procedures have to be
  documented by time, dose , date and route
• Any discrepancies' have to be reported to MSOs
  and Medical Control

10
Reporting of Medication error

• All medication errors have to be reported
  immediately
• All medication errors have to be documented
• These errors can lead to improper care and
  possible harm to the patient
• Errors can lead to possible litigation especially
  if they are NOT reported (Becomes intentional)
• Non reporting of errors can lead to disciplinary
  measures for crew members

11
Some hints from the wise

• Always check name band prior to giving any
  medications.
• Always check to see that ordered dose is
  appropriate based on weight.
• Always look up medications unfamiliar to you
  before giving the medication.

12
Some hints from the wise

• Never leave medications unattended.
• Never leave medications unlabeled!
• We are protecting the patients, and the public
  from stolen or lost medications.
• Make sure no medications are left on the scene.
• Think Safety!
• Be Safe

13
Frequently Asked Questions about Drug Shortages

• Why are there so many drug shortages?
•  
• There are many reasons for the current shortages
  (see graph at right)
• The primary reason is quality issues at the
  manufacturing plants causing disruption in
  supply, especially with generic injectable
  medications
• Delays in manufacturing or shipping
• Shortage of the active pharmaceutical ingredient
  (API)
• Discontinuation of manufacturing the drug
• Increase in demand for the drug

14
Frequently Asked Questions about Drug Shortages

•  
• Why do the shortages involve so many injectable
  drugs?
•  
• The majority of short supply drugs are
  injectable.
• These drugs account for about 80 of the
  shortages.
• Injectable drugs are more complex to manufacture,
  require more equipment and money and have strict
  sterility requirements. This is why some
  companies have decided to stop making certain
  drugs. Since the process is more complex to make
  these drugs, shortages tend to be longer than
  with oral medications.

15
Frequently Asked Questions about Drug Shortages

• Why is Fire District 1 being impacted by the
  shortages?
•  
• The drug shortage crisis is affecting ALL
  hospitals and EMS agencies throughout the United
  States.
• It is not due to lack of planning or purchasing.