Microsoft word - human deficit medication errors by physicians.docx
Prevention of Common Medication Ordering Errors
Unapproved Abbreviation – Do not use U or IU when writing an order. Please spell out ‘unit.’
Example of Incorrect Initial Order – Heparin 10u/ml read as: 100/ml
Example Intended Order - Heparin 10units /ml
Unapproved Abbreviation – Do not use QD or QOD. Please spell out ‘every day’ or ‘every other day.’
Example of Incorrect Initial Order – Atenolol QD read as: every other day instead of every day
Example Intended Order – Atenolol 8mg daily
Unapproved Abbreviation – Do not use trailing or leading zeros.
Example of Incorrect Initial Order - .20mg Dilaudid PCA basal rate read as: 20mg/hr
Example Intended Order – Dilaudid PCA basal rate of 0.2mg/hr
Example of Incorrect Initial Order – Wean to Ativan 1.0mg po q8h read as: Wean to Ativan10mg po q8h
Example of Intended Order – Wean to Ativan 1mg po q8h
PRN reason listed – Please make sure that every PRN medication has a reason listed so that the
Example of Incorrect Initial Order-Tylenol #3 - 1 tablet po q6h prn Pain AND Morphine Sulfate2 mg IV q6h prn Pain (No differentiation for pain level)
Example of Intended Order - Tylenol #3 - 1 tablet po q6h prn Moderate Pain AND MorphineSulfate 2 mg IV q6hr prn Severe Pain
Weight based orders – Please make sure if you want the medication weight based you are including
the correct mg/kg/dose or day for that particular medication.
Example of Incorrect Initial Order – Zonegran 5 mg po BID (60mg/kg/day) - 60 mg/kg/day isnot the dose for Zonegran, rather for Keppra
Example of Clarified order—Zonegran 150 mg po BID (60 mg/kg/day) - This leads to a 30 folderror
Example of Intended Order---Zonegran 5 mg po BID (2 mg/kg/day). The dose and weightbased dose are the APPROPIATE AND CORRECT dose.
Legibility – Please assure that your writing is legible. If you are correcting a previously written or
submitted order do not write over or strike through the original order. A follow up order which corrects the original order must be written. The only acceptable strike through of an order by initialing and rewriting the order is if you are still within that said order. Any variation from this acceptable method of writing orders delays patient care because the RN and Pharmacist have to contact the ordering physician for clarification. It takes you additional time to have to respond to the request for clarification. Please take a few extra minutes and write so the staff can read what you intend for the patient.
Example of Incorrect Initial Order Orapred 45mg with a ‘10’ written on top of the 45
Example of Intended Order – Clarification: Orapred 10mg po BID
MEDICAL HISTORY QUESTIONNAIRE Name: ______________________________________________________ Age: ______________________ Chief Complaint: ___________________________________________________________________________________ FAMILY HISTORY: Give age if living or age and cause of death. Father _____________________________________ Mother _________________________________ Siblings ___