Proper Storing and Labeling of the High Alert Drugs

Risk Management Program Analysis
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Risk Management Program Analysis
Summary description
High alert medications refer to drugs which have the potential to cause significant risk to patients when they are used in error (Tyynismaa et al., 2017). However, these drugs are safe and effective when utilized in the correct way. Although mistakes with these drugs may not be common, the results of an error have adverse effects on the patients. It is important to note that an increased rate of errors in a certain drug does not make it a high alert medication. Hence, it is essential for health care professionals to know more about the drugs and administer them as required. The target audience for this report is the nursing staff members because they are involved in the administration of the medication.
Administrative steps and processes
The risk management program in a typical health care organization includes proper storing and labeling of the high alert drugs. The drugs are stored in individual containers with only one type of drug in a single storage container. The storage containers are labeled with the relevant information regarding the drug like the medication generic name, dosage form, and strength. Regarding prescription, the authorized prescriber consults the local guidelines and processes before prescribing the medications. Further, the health care professionals limit the preparation of the high-alert medications in the patient area. Where possible, the pharmacy services supply the drugs in a ready-to-use format where possible. Although these methods are essential, high-risk medication errors continue to happen which necessitates a risk management plan.
One of the effective ways of preventing errors involving high-alert drugs is awareness and education. The health care professionals handling the medications should be informed about the safety measures they should employ when dealing with the drugs. Furthermore, the use of decision support systems would enable the professionals to monitor overlapping medications prescribed for a particular patient. The decision support systems would allow the nurses to administer the medications appropriately (Lee et al., 2014). In addition, the health care facility should prevent failure by minimizing or eliminating nurse distraction during the medication process. The facilities should ensure that nurses have ample time to attend to each patient. Also, the use of smart technology like “smart pumps” will prevent errors (MacKay, Anderson, Boehme, Cash and Zobell, 2016). The “smart pumps” will offer stop/limits which would alert the nurses to prevent dose errors.
Additionally, health care professionals need to involve the patient and family members. The nurses should educate patients about high-alert medications. They should provide patient education at a literacy level that the patients and family members can understand. Moreover, real-time learning from each failure would prevent the occurrence of a similar error in the future. There should be an enabling environment where nurses can promptly report errors involving high-alert medications. Such an environment would make it possible for health care professionals t...