High-Alert Medications
High-alert medications are drugs that bear a heightened risk of causing significant patient harm when they are used in error. Although mistakes may or may not be more common with these drugs, the consequences of an error are clearly more devastating to patients.*
High-alert medications in long-term care include the following.*
- anticoagulants
- chemotherapeutic agents
- hypoglycemics
- insulins
- parenteral nutrition preparations
- opioids
Strategies for the effective management of high-alert medications include the following.*
- Standardizing the ordering, storage, preparation, and administration of these products
- Improving access to information about these drugs
- Limiting access to high-alert medications
- Using auxiliary labels and automated alerts
- Employing redundancies
For more information on identifying and reducing the risks associated with high-alert medications, contact us at
LTC@ismpcanada.ca
*Institute for Safe Medication Practices. Available at:
https://www.ismp.org/recommendations/high-alert-medications-long-term-care-list
Let us know how the Strengthening Medication Safety in Long-Term Care initiative is making a difference in your setting. Contact us with your stories, photos, and videos. With your permission we'll post it here to inspire others to make a difference. Together we will make a difference.
Contact Us
|