Medication Safety: High-Alert Drugs and Error Prevention
The medicines that cause the most serious harm, and the defences that stop them.
Program overview
A small number of medicines account for a disproportionate share of serious medication harm. This course concentrates on those: anticoagulants, insulin, opioids, concentrated electrolytes, sedatives and chemotherapy. It covers where in the medication process errors occur, look-alike sound-alike hazards, independent double-check practice done properly, safe use of infusion devices, high-risk transitions such as admission and discharge reconciliation, and what to do after an error — including support for the staff member involved.
Why this program
Focused on the drugs that cause most serious harm
Independent double-checks taught correctly
Covers transitions, where reconciliation fails
Includes second-victim support after an error
Who it is for
Program objectives
- Identify the medication classes responsible for most serious harm
- Describe where errors occur across the medication process
- Recognise look-alike and sound-alike hazards in your setting
- Perform an independent double-check correctly
- Apply safe practice with infusion devices and concentrated preparations
- Respond appropriately to a medication error, including staff support
Learning outcomes
- Identify high-alert medications in a described formulary list
- Locate the error point in a described medication incident
- Differentiate a genuine independent double-check from a confirmatory one
- Apply reconciliation to a described admission or discharge
- Recognise look-alike sound-alike risk in a given pair of products
- Plan an appropriate response to a medication error including staff support
Curriculum
Module 1: Where Medication Harm Comes From
1 lessonsWhere Medication Harm Comes FromPreview
Process stages, error types and the concentration of risk.
Module 2: The High-Alert List
1 lessons- The High-Alert List
Module 3: Look-Alike, Sound-Alike
1 lessons- Look-Alike, Sound-Alike
Module 4: Double-Checks and Devices
1 lessons- Double-Checks and Devices
Module 5: Transitions of Care
1 lessons- Transitions of Care
Module 6: After an Error
1 lessons- After an Error
Duration and structure
6 lessons across 6 modules. Duration is expressed in study hours.
What you receive
This certificate confirms completion of Medication Safety: High-Alert Drugs and Error Prevention. Duration is expressed in study hours.
Delivery format
- Self-paced — start any time.
- Study on any device.
- Lifetime access to the version you enrolled in.