Safe Medication Practices
It is important to provide safe medication practices in order to avoid mistakes and serious medication errors. The following resources provide tips for healthcare providers, patients and pharmacists.
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National Patient Safety Goal (NPSG) for Anticoagulant Therapy
National Patient Safety Goals represent best practices with various processes. This R3 Report from The Joint Commission gives detailed information on the NPSG for anticoagulant therapy that includes the requirement, the rationale for why the requirement was developed, and the reference.
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ISMP Safe Practice Guidelines for Adult IV Push Medication
Although medication errors of any kind are dangerous, IV push medication administration can pose a significant risk to patients due to rapid bioavailability effects and a limited ability to reverse the medication’s impact. This is a comprehensive guide of safe practices compiled by the ISMP that can help reduce the risks to patients when administering medications via IV push.
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ISMP Guidelines for Optimizing Safe Subcutaneous Use of Insulin in Adults
The goal of diabetes treatment is to manage hyperglycemia while preventing hypoglycemia. Subcutaneous administration of insulin is often used to manage patient glucose levels. However, insulin is a high-risk medication and care should be taken to prevent errors associated with its use. ISMP has developed these guidelines discussing the potential risks associated with insulin administration and safeguards that can be implemented to prevent errors.
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Medication Use Safety Resources - American Society of Pharmacists
The ASHP provides patient safety resources for pharmacists.
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High Alert Medication Safety
High alert medication administration is a very important process to ensure patient's receive the correct medication. IHI provides tips on improving the process.
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List of Confused Drug Names - Institute for Safe Medication Practices
ISMP provides a list of look-alike and sound-alike medications.
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Targeted Medication Safety Best Practices for Hospitals
ISMP provides best practices for medication safety processes in hospitals.