Hospital Medication Safety: How to Protect Yourself

Medication errors in hospitals can have serious consequences. Being an informed and active participant in your medication management is one of the most important things you can do to stay safe during a hospital stay.

Common Types of Medication Errors

• Wrong medication: Receiving a drug not prescribed for you
• Wrong dose: Getting too much or too little of a medication
• Wrong time: Medications given at incorrect intervals
• Wrong route: Medication given orally instead of by injection, or vice versa
• Drug interactions: Harmful interactions between medications
• Allergic reactions: Receiving a medication you're allergic to
• Omission: Missing a scheduled dose

How to Protect Yourself

Before Your Hospital Stay

• Bring a complete medication list: Include prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, vitamins, and supplements — with dosages and frequency
• Bring your medications in their original containers so providers can verify names and dosages
• List all allergies: Include drug allergies, food allergies, and the type of reaction you had
• Note your pharmacy information

During Your Stay

• Ask about every medication: Before taking any pill or receiving any injection, ask the nurse: "What is this medication? What is it for? What is the dose?"
• Verify your identity: The nurse should check your wristband before giving you medication — if they don't, remind them
• Report side effects: Tell your nurse immediately if you feel unusual after taking a medication
• Don't take medications from home without telling your doctor — they may interact with hospital medications
• Ask about new medications: When a new drug is added, ask about potential interactions with your other medications

At Discharge

• Medication reconciliation: Ask for a complete list of all medications you should take at home
• Understand changes: Know which medications were added, changed, or stopped during your stay
• Ask about each medication: Its name, purpose, dose, timing, and potential side effects
• Clarify confusion: If a discharge medication looks different from what you were taking before, ask why
• Know the danger signs: Ask what symptoms should prompt you to call or return to the hospital

Hospital Medication Safety Systems

Hospitals use several systems to prevent medication errors:

• Barcode scanning: Nurses scan your wristband and the medication to verify the right patient and drug
• Computerized physician order entry (CPOE): Electronic prescribing that checks for interactions and allergies
• Clinical pharmacists: Review medication orders for errors and interactions
• Automated dispensing cabinets: Secure medication storage with electronic verification
• Two-person verification: High-risk medications are double-checked by two providers

The Five Rights of Medication Administration

Healthcare providers follow the "five rights" to prevent errors:

• Right patient
• Right medication
• Right dose
• Right route
• Right time

You can help by verifying these rights are being followed for every medication you receive.

Data sourced from CMS. Visit Medicare Care Compare or call 1-800-MEDICARE.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always discuss medication questions with your healthcare providers.