High alert meds: Can you name them?

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Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

Insulin among several drugs on error list

Despite years of warnings, 'high-alert medications' like insulin, morphine, and some blood thinners continue to top medication error lists, a nonprofit group says.

AP/Yahoo!, Dec. 9, 2003

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20031209/ap_on_he_me/medication_errors_1

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went to the site couldn't find the story ......would like more info, thanks

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Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

edited link

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thanks................

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I'm not at all surprised by the insulin and heparin, as I've seen serious errors in both, but the morphine baffles me a bit. Maybe it's because of my limited perspective as an ICU nurse, but I give tons of MSO4 and it all comes in pre-measured syringes. We can also give it frequently, usually q1-2 hours, so I don't really see how it's one of the top three. Anyone have any insight?

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Important article, I read it with care.

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Do you think that the reason these meds rank the highest in errors reported is because when making an error with these meds the incedents of actually reporting the error goes up?

Im not saying that I or any of you would do this but if someone makes an error with say tylenol they would be less likely to report it because of the decreased risk of complications?

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