dispensing errors
‘High risk, high stakes’: Errors involving children
Pharmacists share shocking case studies, with one seeing up to 1000-times dose errors for clonidine while another witnessed a child develop opioid dependency Leading pharmacists are warning the profession to …
World news wrapup – 3 July 2025
Pharmacy shelled as fighting continues in Ukraine’s Donetsk region; video footage shows pharmacist pocketing prescription medicines; family settles action against pharmacy over alleged fatal dispensing error Donetsk, Ukraine: Patients …
World news wrapup – 19 June 2025
Pharmacists are set to become central players in the future of European healthcare delivery; potentially deadly dispensing error spotted by patient’s father; champion golfer made late-night pharmacy trip before major …
‘It’s really important that we look at workloads’
‘Wrong patient’ incidents represent a “significant” portion of those reported… why do they keep cropping up? ‘Wrong patient’ incidents represent 11.5% of dispensing incidents reported to PDL, according to PDL …
‘Wrong patient’ errors: what they are and how to avoid them
‘Wrong patient’ errors can occur across all pharmacy practice settings when providing any service where a patient is involved. Incidents involving a wrong patient make up a sizeable percentage of …
Confirm phone numbers when dispensing
Pharmacists are being advised to use phone numbers as patient identifiers as part of their dispensing process Confirming patients’ phone contact details can help pharmacists improve patient identification and reduce …
Be aware or beware of ‘wrong patient’ errors
This article aims to raise awareness and provide strategies to prevent the administration of medication to the wrong person. By Amy Minion BPharm MBA, Professional Development Pharmacist, PDL Learning objectives …
World news wrapup: 12 September 2024
NZ baby stopped breathing after dispensing error; UK pharmacist’s efforts to help stymied by EpiPen shortage; Ireland cracks down on vapes New Zealand: A pharmacist breached the Code of Health …
World news wrapup: 8 August 2024
Victims of former pharmacist distressed as he leaves prison; anti-shoplifting measures fuel Amazon Pharmacy use; soundalike medicines error in NZ Kansas City, Missouri: Families of the victims of former pharmacist …
Holding your head up high: restoring professional confidence after experiencing an incident
Normalising the process of healthcare mistakes and acknowledging that it may feel uncomfortable and hard, is a way in which a pharmacist can take back control of the situation. By …
Atropine, soundalike reminder
In its latest newsletter, the Pharmacy Board takes a look at some common dispensing errors – and atropine is singled out once again “System-based strategies may help reduce the risk …
World news wrapup: 1 March 2024
US cyber attack impacts pharmacies; NZ dispensing error saw loratadine laced with haloperidol; UK pharmacists burning out New Zealand: The Health and Disability Commissioner has found a pharmacy breached the …