Medication Safety Orientation
What is medication safety?
Medicines are the most common treatment used in health care and are associated with a higher incidence of errors and adverse events than other healthcare interventions.1
Medication safety is ensuring that clinicians safely prescribe, dispense and administer appropriate medicines, and monitor medicine use.1 It also is ensuring that consumers are informed about medicines, and understand their own medicine needs and risks.1 Standardising and systemising processes can improve medication safety by preventing medication incidents.1
Learning objective
The aim of this course it to provide the knowledge and skills required for medical and clinical staff to safely prescribe medications.
Learning outcomes
- Understand the importance of prescribing medications correctly.
- Demonstrate the ability to prescribe medication appropriately.
- Recognise the importance of using guidelines in prescribing medications.
- Understand the standard forms and procedures for high risk drugs.
- Be aware of where to find more information to practice safely.
1. ACSQHC – National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards Second Edition Overview (available from https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Overview-of-the-NSQHS-Standards-second-edition.pdf accessed: 02/03/2018)
