Medication and Dosage Erros Literature & Language Essay (Essay Sample)

Medication and Dosage Errors
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Abstract
Medication and dosage errors affect patients regardless of their age and whereabouts. Children are especially at risk due to their small size and physiological versatility, while the elderly are at risk because of their frail bodies and weakened immune systems. Those with chronic illnesses and on multiple medications, regardless of age, are at an even higher risk of experiencing side effects from a drug overlap and either an overdose or an underdose. The errors were made almost equally by both professional health care providers and caregivers at home. Numerous studies have been held to observe the percentage of error and the amount of damage it could cause to a patient depending on their condition and age, based on the results, some strategies were put into use in order to solve this issue and reduce its drawbacks, including e-prescribing, medication reconciliation, and improving home dosing tools. Although many of the techniques are still under development and future research is needed, they are a great step in ensuring the patients’ safety and the effectiveness of medications administered to them.
Keywords: medication error, accuracy, dosage, health.
Medication and Dosage Errors
The dosage of the prescribed medication is key to the success of the treatment and the recovery of the patient. However, a number of reports have confirmed the suspicion that an alarming number of people have been taking either an overdose (12%) or an underdose (10%). (Losek, 2004). Medication errors are an important factor in a patient's mortality, especially when the medication is required for a serious health condition and the patient is either a child or an elderly.