Medication Errors

Medication errors are defined as any preventable events that may cause or lead to inappropriate medication use or patient harm while the medication is under the control of healthcare professionals, patients, or consumers. These errors can occur at any stage of the medication use process, including prescribing, order communication, product labeling, packaging, compounding, dispensing, distribution, administration, education, monitoring, and use.

More specifically, a medication error is an unintended failure in the drug treatment process that leads to, or has the potential to lead to, harm to the patient. This includes mistakes in prescribing, dispensing, storing, preparing, and administering medicines, which are common preventable causes of adverse drug events and represent a significant public health issue.

Medication errors can result from various causes such as incorrect diagnosis, prescribing errors, dose miscalculations, poor drug distribution practices, drug-related problems, failed communication, and lack of patient education.

In summary, medication errors encompass any mistakes or failures in the medication process that are avoidable and may negatively impact patient safety and treatment outcomes.