Welcome to the ISMP Medication Safety Alert! Nurse Advise-ERR, a medication safety newsletter designed specifically to meet the needs of nurses who transcribe medication orders, administer medications, and monitor the effects of medications on patients. This monthly, two-four page newsletter will be offered FREE in 2013 to acute care hospitals, behavioral health facilities, community health clinics, surgical centers, and birthing centers, and to faculty at academic settings thanks to restricted grants from Baxter Healthcare and BD. Those who work in other settings can still purchase an individual subscription for $15 or a reduced-rate organizational subscription for $50. Regular features include detailed anonymous accounts of reported errors, checklists of evidence-based error reduction strategies, and short 'safety wires' that offer quick tips regarding safe medication practices. Free CEUs are available in July and January.

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MAYl 2013

In this month's issue:

• Survey results show medication safety information provided by ISMP is valued and acted upon by hospital nurses
• Phosphate enemas (FLEET) may pose a risk for elderly, renal patients
• Double Trouble: Look-alike opioids. (HYDROmorphone and morphine)
• All is not as it seems... (metolazone confused with methadone)
• Death from IV niMODipine.
• Insulin concentration rarely needed on orders.  

Special announcements: 

• Unique 2-day program: Attend ISMP's Medication Safety INTENSIVE workshop, an interactive program that provides hands-on experiences with risk assessment, event investigation, error analysis, and action planning. You will also engage in group discussions on a variety of topics, including Just Culture, Lean, and the role of the medication/patient safety officer. The workshop will be held in Philadelphia, PA on June 13-14. For details, please visit: www.ismp.org/educational/MSI.
• ISMP webinar: 
• Join us for our June 20 webinar, Understanding the Finer Points of The Joint Commission Medication management Standards for Hospitals: An Update for 2013. Recent During this webinar, participants will hear for ISMP's Darryl Rich, PharmD, and The Joint Commission staff about Medication Management standards and medication-related National Patient Safety Goals that have proven to be the most difficult for hospitals and health systems. Frequent challenges will be presented along with examples of how to achieve compliance. Interpretation of new requirements related to medication protocols also will be discussed.
• Also, join us on July 18 for Measuring Medication Safety: Using the Right Data for the Best Results. Measuring medication safety has long been a challenge. Historically, measurement efforts have focused on medication errors reported by practitioners, which, at best, uncover just a small fraction of errors. This can lead to a false sense of security. This webinar will look at methods to measure medication safety within your organization. At the end of this webinar you will be able to determine if there are problems with medication safety, the extent of the problem(s), and if improvement efforts have been successful.
• For details, please visit: www.ismp.org/educational/webinars.asp.

Save the Date: Watch for registration information coming soon for the annual Nursing and Physician Leadership Congress to be held at the Grand Hyatt Seattle, August 13-14.

Nurse Advise-ERR® is offered free in 2013 to nurses who work in US acute care hospitals, behavioral health facilities, community health clinics, surgical centers, and birthing centers; and faculty at academic settings to allow for free redistributions to student thanks to educational grants from Baxter Healthcare and BD. We encourage you to designate a primary subscriber in your organization who then redistributes it to as many nurses as possible in your healthcare system.

Back issues of the newsletter are available at: www.ismp.org/Newsletters/nursing/archive.asp.
  
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ATTENTION CANADIAN NURSES: ISMP Canada is pleased to distribute this newsletter to Canadian nurses. Please subscribe via this link: https://www.ismp-canada.org/advise-err.htm.