Medication Safety in Operating Rooms

Medication safety in operating rooms is an important issue because medication-related problems can lead to serious adverse events. A study of medication in operating rooms reported the shortcomings in the following areas [10]  

The shortcomings in these areas include incomplete and inconsistent medication history in patient charts, pharmaceutical care not provided routinely, large number of abbreviations used on preprinted forms and in medication communications (verbal and written), medication brands changed without the knowledge of surgical teams or technicians, hazardous chemical found in close proximity to products designated for patient use, top of anesthesia carts cluttered, medication stashes found in selected areas, inconsistent preoperative teaching of patients, and inconsistent system of double-checks [10]. 

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