AHRQ Patient Safety Network ► Preparing challenging medications for barcode scanning.

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Preparing challenging medications for barcode scanning.

Waxlax TJ. Am J Health Syst Pharm. 2015;72:1089-1090.

Barcode scanning can reduce medication administration errors, but certain packaging and dosage formulations require special attention to ensure the process improves safety. This commentary draws from examples such as preparation of insulin and use of ampules to illustrate situations in which scanning errors may occur and recommends strategies to address them.

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