Outpatient Surgery Magazine - Subscribers

Helping Hand - Outpatient Surgery Magazine - July 2019

Outpatient Surgery Magazine, providing current information on Surgical Services, Surgical Facility Administration, Outpatient Surgery News and Trends, OR Excellence and more.

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2 6 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • J U L Y 2 0 1 9 W e're all probably a lit- tle numb to medica- tion safety. We get it. It's super important. We live the life. It's easy to become compla- cent until we have a problem. Here are my top 5 injectable medication safety tips: If it goes on the table, it needs a label. Not only do we want to ensure that any medications we place on the back table are labeled, it's best to have a verification process when the nurse hands off the meds to the tech in the OR. Make sure the tech visualizes and confirms all meds, and that the label is verified correct as well. AORN recommends labels include name, strength, concentration and expiration date. If you didn't draw it, don't give it. Unless you are a direct witness to another person drawing up a medication, think twice before administering. I've heard of stories of wrong meds being given and misunderstood dilutions resulting in medication errors due to well-intended handoffs gone wrong. Do your homework. If you haven't given a med before, or it has been a while, take a minute to look up the drug adminis- tration information. Important things to consider include how to dilute, how fast to push, and contraindications with other medica- 1 2 3 5 Injectable Medication Tips A review of safe practices to avoid drug-related mishaps. Safety Leslie Mattson, RN, BSHM, LNC • MED SAFETY Always maintain focus when drawing up meds and labeling syringes.

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