Medication Safety
Systems and habits that prevent harm.
Module overview
Medication errors injure 1.3 million Americans every year. Pharmacy uses layered defenses — checks, labels, technology, and reporting — to keep most of them from reaching patients.
What you'll learn
- 01Preventing medication errors
- 02LASA (Look-Alike/Sound-Alike) medications
- 03Patient safety systems
- 04Medication storage and labeling
Lessons
The five (now nine) rights
Right patient, right drug, right dose, right route, right time, right documentation, right reason, right response, right to refuse.
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Tall Man lettering and LASA pairs
ISMP publishes a LASA list with Tall Man lettering to visually distinguish look-alike names.
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High-alert medications
Drugs with a high risk of significant patient harm when used in error.
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Storage requirements
USP storage temps and product-specific rules keep medications stable and safe.
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Reporting errors
Internal QA plus external voluntary reporting drive system-wide learning.
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Key terms
- LASA
- Look-Alike/Sound-Alike — drug pairs whose names invite confusion.
- Tall Man lettering
- Mixed-case spelling (e.g., hydrOXYzine) used to highlight the differing letters of LASA pairs.
- High-alert medication
- Drug carrying a heightened risk of significant patient harm if used in error.
- MedWatch
- FDA's voluntary adverse event and product problem reporting system.
Study tool
Flashcards
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Practice questions
- Q1Name three high-alert medication classes.
- Q2What is the proper refrigerator temperature range for vaccines?
- Q3Distinguish hydrOXYzine from hydrALAZINE by class.
Weekly study rhythm
- • Watch the module lecture video
- • Complete guided notes and flashcards
- • Take the end-of-lesson quiz
- • Practice pharmacy calculations daily
- • Take a mock exam every two modules