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How can I avoid a medication error?

When it comes to medical mistakes, many people in Maryland might not always think about errors made regarding their prescription medications. Instead things like surgical errors or misdiagnosis come to mind. Yet, the fact remains that errors involving medication can and do happen and they can cause serious injury or even death in some cases. While there may be no way to 100-percent prevent such a problem, there are definitely things you can do to reduce your chance of experiencing this type of medical error.

For people who have a hospital stay for any length of time, WebMD recommends that they do not just blindly assume that the medications given to them by a nurse are correct at all times. Every time you are presented with a medication, you should feel empowered to ask the nurse who the drug is for to ensure it is really for you as well as what you are being given the medication for. This is also something a family member can do for you if you are unable to.

Even when you are at home, you should maintain a complete record of all medications you take including the dosage amount, frequency, reason and any special details like if a particular drug should be taken with or without food. This list should go with you to all doctor visits so every provider has the full view into your medications.

This information is not intended to provide legal advice but is instead meant to give residents of Maryland some ideas of how they can help to prevent experiencing a medication error due to a mistake made by a pharmacist, doctor, nurse or other health care provider.

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