Medication Safety and Error Prevention Flashcards
6 cards from real Pharmacy practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Medication Safety and Error Prevention flashcards as text
Which system is commonly used to analyze the root cause of medication errors?
Answer: Root Cause Analysis (RCA)
Root Cause Analysis (RCA) is a structured process used to identify the underlying system failures that contributed to a medication error, focusing on processes rather than individuals.
An error-prone abbreviation that should NEVER be used on prescriptions according to ISMP/TJC is:
Answer: U for units
'U' for units is on The Joint Commission's Do Not Use list because it can be mistaken for '0' (zero) or '4', potentially causing 10-fold dosing errors.
Independent double-checks are most valuable for which type of medications?
Answer: High-alert medications such as insulin, heparin, and chemotherapy
Independent double-checks — where a second qualified person verifies the drug, dose, and patient — are a critical safety layer for high-alert medications with narrow margins and serious harm potential.
MedWatch is the FDA's voluntary reporting program for:
Answer: Reporting serious adverse events and medication errors
FDA MedWatch (Safety Reporting Portal) allows healthcare professionals and consumers to voluntarily report serious adverse events, medication errors, and product quality problems.
Which practice best reduces dispensing errors caused by distractions?
Answer: Designating quiet no-interruption zones during verification
Designating a no-interruption zone (NIZ) during prescription verification is an evidence-based safety practice that reduces distraction-related dispensing errors.
A patient returns a medication claiming it makes them feel dizzy. After reviewing, the pharmacy realizes a 100 mg tablet was dispensed instead of 10 mg. This is an example of a:
Answer: Medication error — wrong strength dispensed
Dispensing the wrong strength (100 mg instead of 10 mg) constitutes a medication error — specifically a dosing error — that resulted in a preventable adverse outcome.