Preventing Home Medication Administration Errors

Medication administration errors that take place in the home are common, especially when liquid preparations are used and complex medication schedules with multiple medications are involved; children with chronic conditions are disproportionately affected. Parents and other caregivers with low health literacy and/or limited English proficiency are at higher risk for making errors in administering medications to children in their care. Recommended strategies to reduce home medication errors relate to provider prescribing practices; health literacy-informed verbal counseling strategies (eg, teachback and showback) and written patient education materials (eg, pictographic information) for patients and/or caregivers across settings (inpatient, outpatient, emergency care, pharmacy); dosing-tool provision for liquid medication measurement; review of medication lists with patients and/ or caregivers (medication reconciliation) that includes prescription and over-the-counter medications, as well as vitamins and supplements; leveraging the medical home; engaging adolescents and their adult caregivers; training of providers; safe disposal of medications; regulations related to medication dosing tools, labeling, packaging, and informational materials; use of electronic health records and other technologies; and research to identify novel ways to support safe home medication administration.

Files

Metadata

Work Title Preventing Home Medication Administration Errors
Access
Open Access
Creators
  1. H. Shonna Yin
  2. Daniel R. Neuspiel
  3. Ian M. Paul
Keyword
  1. Drug administration error
  2. Drugs
  3. Non-prescription
  4. Health literacy
  5. Medication errors
  6. Pharmacies
  7. Pharmacy (field)
  8. Medication management
  9. Prescribing behavior
  10. Medication reconciliation
  11. Counseling
License In Copyright (Rights Reserved)
Work Type Article
Publisher
  1. Pediatrics
Publication Date December 1, 2021
Publisher Identifier (DOI)
  1. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2021-054666
Deposited July 20, 2022

Versions

Analytics

Collections

This resource is currently not in any collection.

Work History

Version 1
published

  • Created
  • Added 2021_HomeMedErrors_AAP_Policy_Statement_Pediatrics.pdf
  • Added Creator H. Shonna Yin
  • Added Creator Daniel R. Neuspiel
  • Added Creator Ian M. Paul
  • Published
  • Updated Keyword Show Changes
    Keyword
    • Drug administration error, Drugs, Non-prescription, Health literacy, Medication errors, Pharmacies, Pharmacy (field), Medication management, Prescribing behavior, Medication reconciliation, Counseling
  • Updated