A Difference between Life and Death: Practicing Medicine Safety
December 7
3min read
At some point, every person will turn to medicine to either prevent or cure illness. Two of the most crucial processes in the medical sector are prescribing and administering medications. Even the smallest error may cause the patient a difference between life and death.
Approximately, 3-16% of adverse events occurred during inpatient care in hospitals, mostly coming from the wrong medication or the wrong process of drug administration. It is hard to predict the exact number of medical errors, because many cases went undocumented and unreported. These statistics led the World Health Organization (WHO) to launch an initiative called Medication Without Harm. The WHO program aims to reduce the level of avoidable harm related to medications by 50% over 5 years globally.
Generally, potential for medication errors are avoidable. Practicing medicine safety can further lessen the number, and even prevent more errors from happening. Being an active patient by maintaining and updating the current medicine list is one way to help.
The Importance of Practicing Medicine Safety for Children
Taking extra caution when giving any kind of medication to children is crucial because many medications are contraindicated for a specific age group.
The recent cases of child death due to syrup medicine consumption is a wake-up call for people, especially parents. Medicine safety practices is crucial and parents need to be more cautious, knowing that children’s vital organs are not yet mature. Wrong practices may cause toxic side effects, as certain medications are difficult for a child’s body to metabolize.
There is a high risk of error in dosing medication for children because children prescriptions is far more complex compared to adults. Doses calculation need to consider many factors such as weight, age, body surface area, and different dosing devices. If not done carefully, this may lead to confusion, causing errors in measurement.
Thus, it is good measure to consult with a doctor or pharmacist prior to giving children medicine, as both over-the-counter and prescribed medicines can be dangerous if used incorrectly. For over-the-counter medicines, always check the package for the recommended dosage based on the children’s age. While for prescribed medicines, be sure to know the medication purposes and properly schedule the medication consumption.
Aside from that, paying attention to storage is also crucial in practicing medicine safety. Place medicines within the recommended storage temperature, and take note of the expiration date. Most importantly, keep the medicines out of children’s reach to prevent fatal incidental ingestion.
At some point, every person will turn to medicine to either prevent or cure illness. Two of the most crucial processes in the medical sector are prescribing and administering medications. Even the smallest error may cause the patient a difference between life and death.
Approximately, 3-16% of adverse events occurred during inpatient care in hospitals, mostly coming from the wrong medication or the wrong process of drug administration. It is hard to predict the exact number of medical errors, because many cases went undocumented and unreported. These statistics led the World Health Organization (WHO) to launch an initiative called Medication Without Harm. The WHO program aims to reduce the level of avoidable harm related to medications by 50% over 5 years globally.
Generally, potential for medication errors are avoidable. Practicing medicine safety can further lessen the number, and even prevent more errors from happening. Being an active patient by maintaining and updating the current medicine list is one way to help.
The Importance of Practicing Medicine Safety for Children
Taking extra caution when giving any kind of medication to children is crucial because many medications are contraindicated for a specific age group.
The recent cases of child death due to syrup medicine consumption is a wake-up call for people, especially parents. Medicine safety practices is crucial and parents need to be more cautious, knowing that children’s vital organs are not yet mature. Wrong practices may cause toxic side effects, as certain medications are difficult for a child’s body to metabolize.
There is a high risk of error in dosing medication for children because children prescriptions is far more complex compared to adults. Doses calculation need to consider many factors such as weight, age, body surface area, and different dosing devices. If not done carefully, this may lead to confusion, causing errors in measurement.
Thus, it is good measure to consult with a doctor or pharmacist prior to giving children medicine, as both over-the-counter and prescribed medicines can be dangerous if used incorrectly. For over-the-counter medicines, always check the package for the recommended dosage based on the children’s age. While for prescribed medicines, be sure to know the medication purposes and properly schedule the medication consumption.
Aside from that, paying attention to storage is also crucial in practicing medicine safety. Place medicines within the recommended storage temperature, and take note of the expiration date. Most importantly, keep the medicines out of children’s reach to prevent fatal incidental ingestion.