We're all probably a little numb to medication safety. We get it. It's super important. We live the life. It's easy to become complacent until we have a problem. Here are my top 5 injectable medication safety tips:
1 If it goes on the table, it needs a label. Not only do we want to ensure that any medications we place on the back table are labeled, it's best to have a verification process when the nurse hands off the meds to the tech in the OR. Make sure the tech visualizes and confirms all meds, and that the label is verified correct as well. AORN recommends labels include name, strength, concentration and expiration date.
2 If you didn't draw it, don't give it. Unless you are a direct witness to another person drawing up a medication, think twice before administering. I've heard of stories of wrong meds being given and misunderstood dilutions resulting in medication errors due to well-intended handoffs gone wrong.
3 Do your homework. If you haven't given a med before, or it has been a while, take a minute to look up the drug administration information. Important things to consider include how to dilute, how fast to push, and contraindications with other medications and allergies. It only takes a minute to review, and your patient stays safe. You can download a free medication reference app like Pocket Pharmacist.
4 Don't forget to read back. We all know how important it is to confirm a verbal order. Don't let time pressures cause you to skip this step. Make sure that any verbal order gets read back and confirmed before administration. Talk about it often to ensure that it is a culture in your facility. All VORB (Verbal Order Read Back) activities need to be documented and signed off in the medical record "as soon as possible," per CMS.
5 Don't let drug shortages put your patients at risk. With all the drug shortages, it may be necessary to substitute commonly used medications with an alternative. It's a good idea to hold an in-service on any ordered med substitutions. Discuss why and how the new med is being used, and any information staff needs to know to ensure that the change doesn't lead to an error.