Medication Safety Update: Preventing Errors and Adverse Drug Reactions – Florida Board Approved- Pharmacist
Medication Safety Update: Preventing Errors and Adverse Drug Reactions – Florida Board Approved- Pharmacist is organized by The Rx Consultant.
Course Description:
The “Oath of a Pharmacist” that is recited at pharmacy school graduations emphasizes the importance of medication safety in the profession. The passage says, “I will apply my knowledge, experience, and skills to the best of my ability to assure optimal outcomes for my patients.” Despite these efforts, preventable adverse events related to medications do occur, and all health care professionals can play an integral role in reducing them. Health care professionals need a broad understanding of the issues surrounding medication errors and adverse drug events (ADEs) in order to improve patient safety. Medication errors can occur at any step from prescribing to dispensing medication, as well as during administration by a patient or caregiver. An ADE occurs when a patient experiences harm from a medication. Medication errors that reach patients and cause any amount of harm are termed preventable ADEs.
Goals & Objectives:
At the conclusion of this program, participants will be able to:
• Define the terms “adverse drug event (ADE)” and “medication error.” List contributing factors to ADEs in community settings and outline strategies to prevent ADEs and medication errors in pharmacies and in the home.
• Identify instances and patient populations where medication errors and adverse drug events are more common.
• Provide examples where deprescribing and transition of care interventions have improved patient safety.
• Describe current national medication safety initiatives and discuss the importance of pharmacovigilance in addressing adverse drug events.