Medication misadventure in cancer care.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the nature and scope of the problem of medication errors in health care, with specific implications for error reduction and prevention.


METHODS
Articles and research studies.


CONCLUSIONS
Because of the complexity of chemotherapeutic regimens, requirements for supportive care drugs, and the physiologic vulnerability of patients due to their malignancies and intensive therapies, patients with cancer should be the focus of interdisciplinary medication error prevention programs.


CONCLUSIONS
Nurses play a critical role in patient safety and the implementation of preventive and risk-reducing interventions to improve the drug delivery process.
Boyle
Deborah A
DA
University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
Schulmeister
Lisa
L
Lajeunesse
Joel D
JD
Anderson
Roger W
RW
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003422:Critical Care / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008508:Medication Errors / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009859:Oncology Nursing; D012307:Risk Factors
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents