Reducing the Risk of Medication Errors in Women

Abstract

We outline some of the causes of medication errors involving women and recommend ways that healthcare practitioners can prevent some of these errors. Patient safety has become a major concern since the November 1999 release of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) report, "To Err Is Human." Errors involving prescription medications are responsible for up to 7000 American deaths per year, and the financial costs of drug-related morbidity and mortality may be nearly $77 billion a year. The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) collects and analyzes voluntary confidential medication error reports and makes recommendations on the prevention of such errors. This paper uses the expertise of ISMP in medication error prevention to make recommendations to prevent medication errors involving women. Healthcare practitioners should focus on areas of the medication use process that would have the greatest impact, including obtaining complete patient information, accurately communicating drug information, and properly educating patients. Although medication errors are not more common in women, there are some unique concerns with medications used for treating women. In addition, sharing of information about medication use and compliance with medication regimens have been identified as concerns. Through the sharing of information and improving the patient education process, healthcare practitioners should play a more active role in medication error reduction activities by working together toward the goal of improving medication safety and encouraging women to become active in their own care.

Primary Care Safety

“…Provide written materials at an appropriate reading level. A fifth‐grade reading level is recommended for most practices (Grissinger & Kelly, 2005).…”

“…In some reports, Serophene (a drug used to stimulate ovulation) was dispensed instead of Serafem (a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor prescribed to treat premenstrual dysphoric disorder). Other common women's health medication names involved in medication errors include Femara (used to treat postmenopausal women with cancer progression following antiestrogen therapy) and FemHRT (an estrogen therapy product) (Grissinger & Kelly, 2005). Evidence supports the accuracy of APRN prescribing practices.…”

Identification and Evaluation of Human Errors in the Medication Process Using the Extended CREAM Technique

“…As medication errors and correct decision, cognition, and performance of the personnel working in hospital sections are complicated processes, errors can occur in each of the medication processes (5). Occurrence of medication errors can cause serious problems in public health and is considered as a threat to patients' safety (6). These errors are put in one of the 5 categories of medical errors made by the institute of medicine (IOM) (7).…”

Iranian Nurses’ Experiences on Obstacles of Safe Drug Administration: A Qualitative Study

“…Medication errors occur in most health centers around the world and in 3%-8% of all administrations. (The Joanna Briggs Institute, 2010) Studies have shown that in America, medical errors caused thousands of deaths and close to $77 billion in costs associated with drug events annually (Grissinger & Kelly, 2005).…”