medication error

Formal Definition

A medication error is any preventable event that may cause or lead to inappropriate medication use or patient harm while the medication is in the control of the health care professional, patient, or consumer. Such events may be related to professional practice, health care products, procedures, and systems, including prescribing, order communication, product labeling, packaging, and nomenclature, compounding, dispensing, distribution, administration, education, monitoring, and use.

NCC MERP: National Co-ordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention (2018) NCC MERP: About Medication Errors. What is a Medication Error? United States Pharmacopia, Rockville, Maryland http://www.nccmerp.org/about-medication-errors
  • Categories: Medicines