Medication Error Definitions

Prescribing error

Medication orders that could or do lead to an error, which include, but are not limited to: right patient, right drug, right route, right frequency, right dose. Illegible orders that require clarification to prevent errors will be included. Source data will be obtained from incident reports and pharmacy interventions and will include those interventions which prevent errors in the above categories.

Processing error

Communication of information to the dispenser, from prescription up to but not including dispensing. This includes: transcription/order entry errors (including errors in recording verbal orders), unreadable patient demographic information (addressograph stamp), delays in getting order to the pharmacist.

Dispensing error

Preparation by pharmacy personnel, which includes wrong dose, wrong amount, wrong strength, wrong quantity, or wrong labeling that is not related to order entry. This piece ends when the drug correctly reaches the caregiver (med station, nurse, MD, etc.). It does not include a nurse or other licensed caregiver removing the incorrect medication from a med station or floor stock. It also does not include errors detected and corrected during routine checks by pharmacy personnel.

Administration

Giving the wrong drug, wrong dose, at the wrong time (as defined by the hospital), to the wrong patient, or via the wrong route. Administration errors include: omissions, incorrect or incomplete documentation, or deviations from the order or from policy and procedure.

Monitoring

Failure to review a prescribed lab or other clinical data for patient response to prescribed therapy.

Source: Medical Management Planning, Los Angeles.