Safety in Medication Use (eBook)

An estimated 1 in 20 patients are admitted to the hospital due to problems with their medication and 1 in 100 hospitalized patients are harmed due to medication errors during their stay. The prescribing of medications is the most common health care intervention and medication safety is relevant to all health care professionals and patients, in all health care settings. Safety in Medication Use provides an overview of the theory and practice of medication safety, summarizing the international literature and practical suggestions for local practiceEach chapter is written by one or more authors from around the world who were chosen because of their standing in their field. The book covers three broad areas: problems in the medication use process, approaches to understanding and resolving them, and putting solutions into practice. Topics discussed include:Measuring medication errorsImprovement scienceSafety cultureIncident reporting and feedback approachesEducational interventionsCommunication between health care professionalsInterventions for safer work systemsElectronic prescribing and medication administration record systemsInnovations in dispensingPatient involvement in medication safetyEach chapter is a primer on the topic, drawing on the international literature, with the chapters on solutions followed by an "expert summary" of the implications for practice. This valuable resource describes an international body of work that shows not only how widespread medication errors are, but also discusses interventions that can reduce such errors to improve patient safety.