Which medications are considered high risk?

Posted on March 17, 2016 by Lisa

Identifying high-risk medication: a systematic literature review. Saedder EA, Brock B, Nielsen LP, Bonnerup DK, Lisby M. Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 2014 Jun;70(6):637-45. PMID: 24671697. Abstract.

Implementation of a high-alert medication program. Graham S, Clopp MP, Kostek NE, Crawford B. Perm J. 2008 Spring;12(2):15-22.PMID: 21364807. Abstract.

Frequency and Severity of Adverse Drug Events by Medication Classes: The JADE Study. Sakuma M, Kanemoto Y, Furuse A, Bates DW, Morimoto T. J Patient Saf. 2015 Aug 13. PMID: 26273930. Abstract.

High-risk medication use by nursing home residents before and after hospitalization. Stevenson DG, Dusetzina SB, O’Malley AJ, Mitchell SL, Zarowitz BJ, Chernew ME, Newhouse JP, Huskamp HA. Med Care. 2014 Oct;52(10):884-90. PMID: 25185637. Abstract.

Standardizing i.v. infusion concentrations: National survey results. Phillips MS. Am J Health Syst Pharm. 2011 Nov 15;68(22):2176-82. PMID: 22058104. Abstract.

Electronic screening of medical records to detect inpatients at risk of drug-related problems. Roten I, Marty S, Beney J. Pharm World Sci. 2010 Feb;32(1):103-7. PMID: 20012362. Abstract.

Warfarin: a higher “high-risk” medication? Zarowitz BJ. Geriatr Nurs. 2007 Jan-Feb;28(1):17-24. PMID: 17292792. No abstract is available.

Recommendations and Low-Technology Safety Solutions Following Neuromuscular Blocking Agent Incidents. Graudins LV, Downey G, Bui T, Dooley MJ. Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf. 2016 Feb;42(2):86-91. PMID: 26803037. Abstract.

Characteristics of pediatric chemotherapy medication errors in a national error reporting database. Rinke ML, Shore AD, Morlock L, Hicks RW, Miller MR. Cancer. 2007 Jul 1;110(1):186-95. PMID: 17530619. Abstract.

Drugs associated with adverse events in children and adolescents. Lee WJ, Lee TA, Pickard AS, Caskey RN, Schumock GT. Pharmacotherapy. 2014 Sep;34(9):918-26. PMID: 24990656. Abstract.

Sleeping position guideline for administering vesicant chemotherapy

Posted on November 13, 2015 by John

Searched PubMed for these concepts: vesicant and “sleeping position” or “supine” or “lateral decubitus position”

Managing vesicant extravasations. The oncologist [1083-7159] Schulmeister, Lisa yr:2008 vol:13 iss:3 pg:284 -8

Preventing and managing vesicant chemotherapy extravasations. The Journal of supportive oncology [1544-6794] Schulmeister, Lisa yr:2010 vol:8 iss:5 pg:212 -5

Haberer, Sophie, et al. “Locoregional treatment for breast carcinoma after Hodgkin’s lymphoma: the breast conservation option.” International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics 82.2 (2012):e145-52.

Fall prevention in academic medical centers

Posted on October 27, 2015 by Lisa

For articles on fall prevention in academic medical centers, a search was conducted in PubMed for fall prevention AND academic medical center. There are 34results, all of which can be found here. Below are a few recent articles that offer studies on the topic.
· Moe K, Brockopp D, McCowan D, Merritt S, Hall B. Major Predictors of Inpatient Falls: A Multisite Study. J Nurs Adm. 2015 Oct;45(10):498-502. doi: 10.1097/NNA.0000000000000241.
· Quigley PA, Barnett SD, Bulat T, Friedman Y. Reducing Falls and Fall-Related Injuries in Medical-Surgical Units: One-Year Multihospital Falls Collaborative. J Nurs Care Qual. 2015 Aug 28.
· Williams T, Szekendi M, Thomas S. An analysis of patient falls and fall prevention programs across academic medical centers. J Nurs Care Qual. 2014 Jan-Mar;29(1):19-29. doi: 10.1097/NCQ.0b013e3182a0cd19.

What evidence is there for using sterile saline/water instead of tap water for enteral/tube feeding flushes and/or free water for enterally fed patients?

Posted on June 1, 2015 by John

CINAHL search with the following terms:

(enteral feeding OR tube feeding OR enteral nutrition OR feeding tube) AND (sterile OR saline OR water) AND (irrigation OR flush OR flushing)

Allen S. As a Flushing Agent for Enteral Nutrition, Does Sterile Water Compared to Tap Water Affect the Associated Risk of Infection in Critically Ill Patients?. Alabama Nurse [serial online]. March 2015;42(1):5-6. Available from: CINAHL, Ipswich, MA. Accessed June 1, 2015.

“ASPEN Enteral Nutrition Practice Recommendations.” JPEN, Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition 33.2 (2009):122.

“Enteral tube flushing.” American journal of nursing 105.3 (2005):58.

Needle dislodgement during dialysis

Posted on April 27, 2015 by Lisa

Go to http://health.library.emory.edu, click on PubMed, and run this search. Then you can click the Find It at Emory button within an article’s entry to see if Emory has full-text access for an article.

(dialysis OR hemodialysis OR haemodialysis) AND (needle OR needles) AND (dislodged OR dislodge OR dislodges OR dislodgement OR dislodgements)

What are the patient safety concerns for administration of epoprostenol?

Posted on September 17, 2014 by John

Kingman, Martha S.; Chin, Kelly. Safety Recommendations for Administering Intravenous Prostacyclins in the Hospital.
Critical Care Nurse (CRIT CARE NURSE), 2013 Oct; 33 (5): 32-41. (37 ref)

Fuentes, Amaris; Coralic, Aida; Dawson, Kyle L. A new epoprostenol formulation for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension. American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy (AM J HEALTH SYST PHARM AJHP), 2012 Aug 15; 69 (16): 1389-93.

Buckley, Mitchell S, et al. “Clinical utility of treprostinil in the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension: an evidence-based review.” Core evidence 9(2014):71-80.

Sitbon, Olivier, et al. “EPITOME-2: An open-label study assessing the transition to a new formulation of intravenous epoprostenol in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension.” The American heart journal 167.2 (2014):210-7.

Shirai, Yuichiro, et al. “Intravenous epoprostenol treatment of patients with connective tissue disease and pulmonary arterial hypertension at a single center.” Modern rheumatology 23.6 (2013):1211-20.

Fuentes, Amaris, Aida Coralic, and Kyle L. Dawson. “A new epoprostenol formulation for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension.” American journal of health-system pharmacy 69.16 (2012):1389-93.

Oudiz, Ronald J, and Harrison WFarber. “Dosing considerations in the use of intravenous prostanoids in pulmonary arterial hypertension: an experience-based review.” The American heart journal 157.4 (2009):625-35.

DynaMed Entry for ” target=”_blank”>Epoprostenol
On the left look at Dosage and Administration and Cautions and Adverse Effects

Searched PubMed, DynaMed, and CINAHL. Keywords: Epoprostenol, patient safety, administration

What are examples of policies, protocols, and safety measures for waterbirths in hospitals?

Posted on August 28, 2014 by John

Dahlen, Hannah G Maternal and perinatal outcomes amongst low risk women giving birth in water compared to six birth positions on land. A descriptive cross sectional study in a birth centre over 12 years. Midwifery (MIDWIFERY), 2013; 29 (7): 759-64.

UKCC statement on waterbirth. The current position. Midwives (13558404) (Midwives (13558404)), 1995 Jan; 108 (1284): 12.

US WATERBIRTH STUDY. Midwives (MIDWIVES), 2014; 17 (3): 11.

Chapman B Waterbirth protocols: five North Island hospitals in New Zealand. New Zealand College of Midwives Journal (NZ COLL MIDWIVES J), 2004 Apr; 30: 20-4.

Nutter, Elizabeth; Waterbirth: An Integrative Analysis of Peer-Reviewed Literature. Journal of Midwifery & Women’s Health (J MIDWIFERY WOMENS HEALTH), 2014 May; 59 (3): 286-319.

Benko A Waterbirth: is it a real choice? Midwifery Matters (MIDWIFERY MATTERS), 2009 Autumn (122): 9-12. (32 ref)

Maznin, Nur Liyanna Bt. Creedy, Debra Kay. A comprehensive systematic review of factors influencing women’s birthing preferences. The JBI Library of Systematic Reviews. 10(4):232-306, 2012.

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Evidence Matters

Evidence-based information for Emory

Category Archives: Patient Safety