Preventing medication errors with smart infusion technology.
PURPOSE: Processes that pharmacists can use to identify high-risk areas and drugs that require special focus in error-prevention efforts are discussed, with emphasis on the need for i.v. medication error prevention. SUMMARY: Pharmacists can help determine where best to focus medication safety effort...
| Published in: | American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy Vol. 61; no. 2; pp. 177 - 184 |
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| Main Authors: | , |
| Format: | tables/charts Journal Article |
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Oxford University Press / USA
1/15/2004
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| Online Access: | View this record in EBSCOhost |
| fields | @attributes: recordID: 1 pdfLink: plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ccm&AN=106541669&site=ehost-live header: @attributes: shortDbName: ccm uiTerm: 106541669 longDbName: CINAHL Complete uiTag: AN controlInfo: bkinfo: dissinfo: jinfo: jid: 10792082 1X3 jtl: American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy issn: 10792082 maglogo: N pubinfo: dt: 1/15/2004 vid: 61 iid: 2 pid: 622 pub: Oxford University Press / USA artinfo: ui: 106541669 2009054257 10.1093/ajhp/61.2.177 NLM14750402 106541669 ppf: 177 ppct: 7 formats: fmt: @attributes: type: P tig: atl: Preventing medication errors with smart infusion technology. aug: au: Wilson K Sullivan M affil: Clinical Pharmacist, Memorial Health System, Chattanooga, TN sug: subj: Infusion Devices Medication Errors Prevention and Control Administration, Intravenous Software ab: PURPOSE: Processes that pharmacists can use to identify high-risk areas and drugs that require special focus in error-prevention efforts are discussed, with emphasis on the need for i.v. medication error prevention. SUMMARY: Pharmacists can help determine where best to focus medication safety efforts and innovative technology by identifying areas that pose the greatest risk of harm to a patient, such as medications, administration routes, patient care areas, and diagnosis-related groups. Delivery of i.v. medications via infusion devices has traditionally not been a major concern for pharmacists. The introduction of 'smart' infusion technology has changed that paradigm by requiring pharmacist involvement in defining minimum and maximum doses for continuous and bolus infusions used within a health care facility. This technology provides a software filter to prevent key-stroke errors in programming infusion devices for delivery of i.v. drugs, as well as a new source of data with which to measure medication errors at the bedside. Implementation of smart infusion technology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center appeared to prevent errors involving heparin. In addition to having an immediate positive impact at the bedside, the technology was relatively easy to implement. CONCLUSION: Smart infusion systems represent an innovative technology that can provide an additional layer of protection at the point of care to help avert i.v. drug errors and prevent patient harm. pubtype: Academic Journal doctype: tables/charts Journal Article ougenre: Article language: English refInfo: holdings: @attributes: islocal: N |
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