This list includes look-alike and sound-alike name pairs. Use this list to determine which medications require special safeguards to reduce the risk of errors and minimize harm.
Resource Library
Whether you have experienced a medication error in your organization or you are proactively implementing prevention strategies, you are not alone. Thousands of organizations worldwide have relied on ISMP's resources for institutional change to reduce errors on a daily basis. These resources are developed from ISMP's review of reports through its national error reporting programs, peer-reviewed articles in its publications, and/or consensus gathering summits on topics pertinent to specific errors or hazards. ISMP offers a wide range of downloadable and easy to use resources. Many are free.
All Resources
Use this list to determine which medications require special safeguards to reduce the risk of errors and minimize harm.
Beyond Blame is a must-see for all who are responsible for patient care. The award-winning DVD introduces viewers to “Just Culture,” a way of thinking that fixes problems rather than assigning fault.
The latest issue of ISMP’s QuarterWatch™ (see description at the end of the article) examines drug safety issues identified by monitoring new adverse drug event reports submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). New data received during the third...
Limited regulatory guidance exists for investigational drug labeling, packaging, and nomenclature, exposing sites that participate in clinical trials to many troubling product-related safety risks. Many of these risks are unique to investigational drugs and are less likely to be encountered with US...
An investigational drug is a chemical or biological substance that has been tested in the laboratory and approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for testing in people during clinical trials. Investigational drugs can include both prescription and nonprescription medications, but some...
In two recent surveys on smart infusion pump (smart pump) usage in the US, more than 1,000 nurses, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals provided ISMP with a unique glimpse into the successes, safety concerns, and barriers with the optimization of smart pumps. Most respondents reported...
Problem: Increasingly, ISMP has been receiving complaints and reports of errors, some serious, about prefilled compounded syringes that look alike. Drug shortages may be worsening the situation, as hospitals may be relying more on compounders they have not previously used to fulfill their needs. The...
Commonly referred to as the "Do Not Crush" list, healthcare professionals are alerted about medications that should not be crushed.