Policy Manual sample

MDT Home Health Care Agency, Inc. 214 • Limited staff education (on problem prone drugs) • Limited patient/family/caregiver education • The Institute of Safe Medical Practices has also determined that a majority of medication errors resulting in death or serious injury were caused by “high alert medications”. • Insulin • Opiates and narcotics • Injectable potassium chloride (or phosphate) concentrate • Intravenous heparin • Sodium chloride solutions above 0.9% PROCEDURE: • Medication orders are to be recorded as per MDT Home Health Care Agency, Inc. policy. • Medication orders must include the name of the medication, dosage, frequency and route of administration. • All medication dosages must be written in the metric system. Units must be spelled out. • A leading zero (0) must always precede a decimal point for a dose of less than one (1). A trailing zero (0) is prohibited after the decimal for all medication orders and other medication-related documentation. Any questionable medication orders received in MDT Home Health Care Agency, Inc. must be clarified with the prescribing physician/licensed independent practitioner prior to medication administration. • The use of abbreviations is to be avoided, both for drug names, i.e., MOM, and for Latin directions for use, i.e., QD, SC/SQ. • All medication orders are reviewed for accuracy and completeness by the Clinical Supervisor/Case Manager. • Medication errors will be reported, tracked and trended via the performance improvement process of the Agency. • The Director of Professional Services or his/her designee reviews and evaluates literature, i.e., intermediary alerts, journal articles, regularly for new technologies or successful practices that have been demonstrated to enhance safety in other organizations. These practices are incorporated into the Agency’s medication management system as appropriate.