Quality and Safety in Health Care, Part VIII

Injuries from medication are common and often preventable. Fortunately, there are many steps that can be taken to increase medication safety. Adopting a culture of safety including more reporting of medication errors and thorough investigation of their causes, better training including medical and communication skills, adopting superior procedures, and enhanced utilization of technology are all very helpful in reducing adverse events from drugs. The nursing staff is an important line of protection against patient injury from drug errors. The final line of protection is the patient and the patient's family, so educating them about their medical condition, their medication regimen, and how to participate in the process of staying healthy is essential for medication safety.