Preventing vincristine sulfate medication errors.
OBJECTIVE
To review the clinical pharmacology of vincristine sulfate, describe three types of medication errors associated with its use, and suggest strategies for vincristine sulfate medication error prevention.


METHODS
Published books and journal articles, online newsletters and documents, pharmaceutical manufacturers package inserts, and personal experience.


RESULTS
Medication errors involving vincristine sulfate include overdosage (wrong dose), name confusion (wrong drug), and incorrect administration (wrong route).


CONCLUSIONS
Vincristine medication errors are preventable errors that usually result in serious patient harm and often are lethal.


CONCLUSIONS
Nurses need to be aware of the types of medication errors that can occur with chemotherapy agents and be familiar with clinical signs and symptoms associated with these errors. Nurses also need to promote patient safety by implementing specific strategies to prevent vincristine medication errors.
Schulmeister
Lisa
L
lisaschulmeister@hotmail.com
D000328:Adult; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004333:Drug Administration Routes; D004348:Drug Labeling; D062787:Drug Overdose / Q000517:prevention & control; D011307:Drug Prescriptions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular / Q000009:adverse effects; D007278:Injections, Spinal / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008318:Malpractice; D008508:Medication Errors / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000451:nursing; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control; D009626:Terminology as Topic; D014748:Vinca Alkaloids / Q000145:classification; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D014748:Vinca Alkaloids; D014750:Vincristine