title: Double-checking high-risk medications in acute settings: a safer process.
abstract: There is a need to reduce medication errors, and one way of achieving this for high-risk medications is by double-checking. This article reports the results of a literature review, undertaken as part of an MSc, which examined safe processes for double-checking. The article discusses three themes that emerged from the review: the evidence and processes of double-checking, supportive safety measures and human factors. The review concluded that two people double-checking the entire process enhances and strengthens practice, and that clinical settings and contexts are important to safety in medication administration. The aim of the article is to provide evidence for nurse managers to support their decision making on safe administration practice in clinical settings.
authors: Buckinghamshire New University.
authors: Pollyanna
authors: P
authors: Kellett
authors: Mary
authors: M
authors: Gottwald
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D054796:Drug Dosage Calculations; D006801:Humans; D008508:Medication Errors / Q000451:nursing* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009732:Nursing Care / Q000592:standards*; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000592:standards*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D017751:Safety Management / Q000379:methods*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom
chemical_list: D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations
keywords: Double-checking; acute care; high-risk medications; human factors; medication errors; pharmaceutical preparations