A medication error is defined as "any preventable event that may cause or lead to inappropriate medication use or patient harm while the medication is in the control of the healthcare professional, patient, or consumer,” according to the National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention.
What are examples of medication errors?
Types of Medication Errors
- Prescribing.
- Omission.
- Wrong time.
- Unauthorized drug.
- Improper dose.
- Wrong dose prescription/wrong dose preparation.
- Administration errors including the incorrect route of administration, giving the drug to the wrong patient, extra dose or wrong rate.
What is the most common medication error?
The most common medication error in the United States is administering the wrong dose to the patient. In the United States, these errors account for 43 percent of all fatalities linked to medication errors.
