Administering and monitoring high-alert medications in acute care.

Abstract

The nurse's primary role in the medication process is to ensure that drugs are administered safely to patients, thus reducing the risk of unnecessary harm or injury. High-alert medications are a particular concern for healthcare professionals, since they are associated with an increased risk of causing patient harm. This article identifies high-risk medications and outlines measures that can be used to prevent potential harm to patients as a result of these medications, including computerised provider order entry, Tall Man lettering, order sets, independent double-checks and proactive patient monitoring.