What are common examples of medication errors?

The selection of wrong drug, wrong dosage, wrong route, and wrong patient as common examples of medication errors is particularly valid due to the critical nature of these aspects in patient safety and treatment efficacy. Each of these elements directly influences the outcome of medication therapy, and errors can lead to serious adverse effects or treatment failures.

• Wrong drug refers to the administration of a medication that is not the intended one for the patient. This could occur due to similar drug names or packaging, which highlights the need for careful identification.

• Wrong dosage indicates that the patient has received either too much or too little of a medication, which can lead to toxicity or therapeutic ineffectiveness, respectively.

• Wrong route points to a scenario where the medication is administered in a manner inconsistent with its prescribing instructions, such as giving an intravenous medication via oral administration, significantly altering its intended effect.

• Wrong patient signifies that the medication has been dispensed to or administered to the wrong individual, which is a critical error that can result in severe harm or unintended treatment in a patient who is not meant to receive that medication.

Understanding these types of medication errors helps pharmacy technicians ensure proper protocols are followed, ultimately safeguarding patient health and promoting effective medication administration practices.