Medication Safety Quality Indicators
Standard methods of patient identification
The three leading sources of medication errors are communication, training, and patient assessment, according to the Joint Commission.
Some hospitalized persons, such as infants and the critically ill, cannot speak for themselves and may not have anyone available to speak for them, making identification and communication difficult.
Using two or more methods to identify the right patient during medication administration is, therefore, necessary as a check point in the process of medication delivery.
Does UVa use standard methods to identify patients during medication administration?
Yes. UVa nurses and doctors verify two patient identifiers before administering medication.
Two standard fail-safe methods for identifying the "right patient" are:
- checking the patient's armband to ensure it matches the medication administration record
- asking the patient or family member for verification
