Pharmacology Clear & Simple
Nina Beaman, MS, RN,C, CMA(AAMA)
Chapter 1
Patient Safety
Objectives
 Define all key terms.
 Discuss the responsibility of allied health
professionals in administering medications.
 List the six rights of medication administration.
 Discuss the ethics of medication administration.
 State the circumstances when you would call a
poison control center.
 Describe how to respond to patient’s allergic
reactions.
Patient’s Rights
 Give the drug to the right patient.
 Give the right drug.
 Give the drug in the right dose.
 Give the drug at the right time.
 Give the drug by the right route.
 Chart the drug using the right
documentation.
Right Patient
 It is important to give the medication to the
correct patient.
 In the hospital, the patient may have an
identification bracelet on the wrist.
 In the medical office, you will need to
identify the patient by sight or unique
information.
Critical Thinking
 You enter the reception area of the
medical office to look for the patient
whose name is on the medication. How
can you be certain of giving the
medication to the right patient? Because
patients are sometimes confused or hard
of hearing, how can you be certain that
the patient who responds is the right one?
Right Drug
 The wrong drug can have a dangerous
effect.
 You must check the name of the drug at
least 3 times.
 Arrange drugs in organized manner in
office to avoid confusion.
Critical Thinking
 What is the safest way to arrange drugs in
a drug cabinet to avoid medication errors?
Right Dose
 Check dosage 3 times.
 If the dosage seems unreasonable, notify
MD before giving.
 Dose may be adapted to weight of patient.
Right Time
 Give stat orders immediately.
 Develop appropriate time schedule .
 Depends on medication, order, and
convenience to patient.
Critical Thinking
 What kinds of drugs are usually
prescribed to be given at equal intervals
throughout the day? Explain why these
drugs must be given at exact intervals.
Right Route
 Route important to dosage
 Convenience
 Availability of drug for that route
 Speed of effect
 Comfort
 Other circumstances
Critical Thinking
 Rachael Smith has been told to be npo
after midnight before an x-ray series of her
bowels. She calls to see if she should take
her morning dose of insulin. An office
assistant says she should take it because
insulin is not given by mouth. If you had
taken her call, what would you have said
or done?
Right Documentation
 If it has not been documented, it has not
been done.
 Follow office protocol.
 Maintain legal records.
 Correct errors without deleting.
Critical Thinking
 Imagine that you gave Cecile Massé 1 mL
of a flu shot in the left deltoid muscle. You
took it from a container that said lot
#1234567, which expires on 12/01/10.
How would you document this procedure?
Ethics
 Information—dangerous abbreviations
 Consent
 Privacy
Critical Thinking
 While entering a crowded reception room,
a medical assistant calls back to a
colleague that she has to tell a patient that
her birth control samples are ready.
Immediately afterward, she calls the
patient’s name aloud. Is this appropriate?
How might she have better handled
patient confidentiality?
Emergency Responsibilities
 Toxic and poison response
 Allergies
 Anaphylaxis
Critical Thinking
 Kendall McGlasson is beginning a new
prescription. Before she leaves the office,
what would you tell her about potential
adverse effects?
Summary
 What new piece of information in this
chapter were you most interested to
learn?
 What questions do you still have about the
information in this chapter?
 Return to Objectives to determine extent
of learning.
Credits
Publisher: Margaret Biblis
Acquisitions Editor: Andy McPhee
Developmental Editor: Yvonne N. Gillam
Production Manager: Samuel A. Rondinelli
Manager, Electronic Development: Kirk Pedrick
Technical Project Manager, EP: Frank Musick
Design Associate, EP: Sandra Glennie
The publisher is not responsible for errors or omission or for consequences from application of
information in this presentation, and makes no warranty, expressed or implied, in regards to its
content. Any practice described in this presentation should be applied by the reader in accordance
with professional standards of care used with regard to the unique circumstances that may apply in
each situation.