AHRQ Patient Safety Network: Strengthen your resolve: no unlabeled containers anywhere, ever!

AHRQ Patient Safety Network



Strengthen your resolve: no unlabeled containers anywhere, ever!

ISMP Medication Safety Alert! Acute Care Edition. November 6, 2014;19:1-4.

Despite the designation of proper labeling as a National Patient Safety Goal in 2006, the problem of unlabeled solutions and medications persists. This newsletter article outlines several incidents involving labeling issues that contributed to patient harm or death and provides strategies to reduce risks related topoor labeling practices, including ensuring labels are available in all settings that require them, using tall man lettering to differentiate look-alike drug names, and limiting access to solutions and medications.

Free full text 

Related Resources

COMMENTARY

ISMP medication error report analysis.

Cohen MR, Smetzer JL. Hosp Pharm. 2009;44:18-21.

STUDY

Listen carefully: the risk of error in spoken medication orders.

Lambert BL, Dickey LW, Fisher WM, et al. Soc Sci Med. 2010;70:1599-1608.

BOOK/REPORT

Reducing Adverse Drug Events.

Leape LL, Kabcenell A, Berwick DM, Roessner J. Boston, MA: Institute for Healthcare Improvement; 1998.

COMMENTARY

ISMP medication error report analysis.

Cohen MR. Hosp Pharm. 2005;40:643-648.

View all related resources...