Encourage your patient to ask questions about his medications, such as why he's receiving them, how to take them properly, what adverse responses he could develop, and what steps to take if the medications aren't effective. When a mistake happens Making a medication error can make you feel anxious and upset, and these feelings can impair your nursing judgment and increase your risk of compounding the error. If your patient requires an antidote, ask a colleague to administer it. Thoroughly document the error and complete an incident report according to your facility's policy. Reporting what you know about the incident sheds light on flaws in the medication delivery system so the facility administrators can correct them.
Daily challenge Combating medication errors is a daily nursing challenge.
By using these strategies, you'll not only reduce your legal risks, you'll also enhance your patients' well-being.