dispensing errors
NZ soundalike meds mixup sparked coverup
A New Zealand pharmacist failed to spot a technician’s packing error, then tried to blame a colleague by faking script forms The pharmacist, who had been practising since 2004, was …
NZ case highlights need for staff support
A busy supermarket pharmacy made a string of dispensing errors which saw one patient experience “heart attack like symptoms” New Zealand’s Health and Disability Commissioner has found that a Bay …
‘I will never know whether a recurrence of cancer is the result of the error.’
A New Zealand woman with breast cancer was dispensed ezetimibe instead of exemestane, which were sitting next to each other on the dispensary shelf New Zealand Deputy Health and Disability …
Clonidine dose error not spotted
A pharmacist allegedly made a mistake while compounding a clonidine suspension, and a child was admitted to hospital The Pharmacy Board has published a new case study, which it says …
How did a four-week-old baby overdose on methadone?
An inquiry into a dispensing error, which saw compounded omeprazole for a baby contaminated with methadone, has found a NZ pharmacist did not dispense methadone safely New Zealand Deputy Health …
Understanding your risk capacity—Part 2
In the second instalment of a series of webinars entitled Understanding Your Risk Capacity, Nicolette Ellis, Gary West, and Dr Brett MacFarlane continue their discussions about measuring, evaluating, and managing …
Understanding your risk capacity—Part 1
Many of us have experienced those heart sinking moments of concern or discomfort when asked to dispense a medicine which we believe is inappropriate or high risk. In this webinar, …
Top 10 drugs in PDL incident reports
In its latest practice update, PDL lists the medicines most commonly associated with incident reports it receives… and some should be no surprise It is no surprise that the top …
Patients distressed by string of dispensing errors
A pharmacist claimed she was copying colleagues when she dispensed drugs for self-administration without a script An inexperienced pharmacist was working “extremely long” hours without sufficient support when she made …
Drug use, fraud and errors trip up young pharmacists
Students and ECPs involved with illicit drugs, interns forging preceptor signatures and dispensing errors are behind some recent cases, warns indemnity expert Despite not being fully qualified pharmacists, some students …
Checks miss drug with almost-identical name
A single letter made all the difference when a pharmacist dispensed the same medication twice in error New Zealand’s Health and Disability Commissioner has issued a report about a case …
Warning after dispensing error
An Irish pharmacist incorrectly dispensed medication used in the termination of a pregnancy to a pregnant woman The patient, 34, attended the pharmacy in Dublin to have a prescription for …