ISMP Medication Error Prevention 2

Question 1

ISMP's 'error-prone abbreviations' list includes which abbreviation that should never be used in medication orders?

Accepted Answer

QD (for every day)

Answer

QD is on ISMP's error-prone abbreviations list because it can be misread as QID (four times daily), potentially causing a fourfold overdose.

Question 2

According to ISMP, a 'near miss' in medication safety is best defined as:

Accepted Answer

An error that was caught before reaching the patient

Answer

A near miss is an error that was intercepted before it reached the patient, providing a critical learning opportunity to prevent future harm.

Question 3

Which decade-long effort by ISMP contributed most to eliminating the use of leading zeros in drug doses (e.g., .5 mg should be written as 0.5 mg)?

Accepted Answer

Error-prone abbreviations campaign

Answer

ISMP's error-prone abbreviations campaign specifically targets writing practices like missing leading zeros that cause tenfold dosing errors.

Question 4

ISMP recommends that pharmacies implement barcode medication verification primarily to:

Accepted Answer

Verify the correct drug, dose, and patient at the point of dispensing

Answer

Barcode verification at dispensing and administration ensures the right drug, dose, and patient match, catching errors before administration.

Question 5

In medication error prevention, 'human factors engineering' refers to:

Accepted Answer

Designing equipment and environments to minimize human error

Answer

Human factors engineering applies knowledge of human limitations and behaviors to design safer medical devices, software, and workflows.

ISMP - Institute for Safe Medication Practices Practice Test