We've talked before about the consequences of medication errors, but never why they happen in the first place. To err is human. That is the title of an Institute of Medicine report into medication errors. When you're a doctor or a pharmacist, however, a mistake when...
Medication Errors
People in the hospital get hurt due to staff medication mistakes
When you have to stay in the hospital, you probably assume you will get a better standard of care than you could provide for yourself at home. There will be someone else there to monitor you and ensure you receive the right treatment. Unfortunately, medical...
The wrong dose of pain medication can be deadly
If you were to ask a doctor about the most important medical advances in recent decades, they will probably reference a cutting-edge procedure or medication in their field of expertise. However, if you push them from the most important general advances, improvements...
What’s a pharmacist’s role in preventing dangerous drug interactions?
The government limits access to prescription medications or controlled substances for the safety of the public. Many of these medications could harm someone if used improperly. They can also lead to addiction. Patients in need of medical treatment have protection both...
Medication errors may have dire consequences
Prescription medications help treat conditions, manage symptoms and reduce pain. However, prescription mistakes are extremely common in the health care community, and medication errors may cause severe consequences for patients. Prescription errors may happen in...
What questions should you ask your pharmacist?
When you are prescribed medication to help treat symptoms you may be experiencing, chances are you listen closely to your doctor's suggestions for how to take the prescription that has been recommended. While health care professionals have knowledgeable insight about...
How patients can help prevent medication errors
Patients rely on medical professionals in New Jersey to get them back on their feet, not knock them off their feet with medical blunders. Unfortunately, medical errors are quite common, but, thankfully, patients can do their part to prevent unnecessary mistakes. The...
What Is Polypharmacy?
In a previous blog, we discussed polypharmacy and how it related to the potential for loss of balance and slip-and-fall accidents. In this blog, we'll discuss the dangers of combining medications and the hazards patients face with this growing trend. There's nothing...
Report: Infusion pumps still pose significant health hazards
A recent report from ECRI Institute (formerly known as Emergency Care Research Institute), a prominent nonprofit organization that works to improve patient care, names infusion pump errors as the top health care technology hazard for 2017. The report should raise...