Medication Safety Course

This Medication Safety Education course is designed for hospital staff, including doctors, nurses, and pharmacy professionals, aiming to minimize preventable harm from medication errors. It covers the importance of medication safety, highlighting that up to 50% of medication-related harm is preventable, and emphasizes creating a culture of safety. The course addresses common types of medication errors (prescribing, dispensing, administration, and monitoring) and the “5 Rights” of medication safety (right patient, drug, dose, route, and time). It also focuses on high-alert medications (HAM) and look-alike sound-alike (LASA) medications, providing strategies for handling them safely. The role of technology, such as Barcode Medication Administration (BCMA) and Computerized Provider Order Entry (CPOE), is discussed, along with the critical roles of pharmacists, nurses, and physicians in ensuring medication safety. The course promotes a safety culture in hospitals, encouraging error reporting and continuous learning, and outlines best practices, including standardization, ongoing education, and clear communication. Resources and guidelines from organizations like ASHP, JCI, ISMP, and IHI are also provided to support medication safety efforts. Overall, the course underscores that medication safety is a shared responsibility requiring vigilance, adherence to protocols, and effective use of technology to prevent errors and promote patient well-being.