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Reduce Adverse Drug Events Involving Chemotherapy

Chemotherapeutic agents are known to have numerous side effects and, due to their potency, can be quite toxic. Exact dosing is critical to ensure that patients receive the benefits needed but without suffering undue harm. Unintentional overdoses of chemotherapeutic agents have resulted in patient deaths. Therefore, extra safety measures must be taken with these drugs.


Changes for Improvement
Use Pre-Printed Orders for Chemotherapy Drugs
Communicate Patient Chemotherapy Information Across Settings
Accept No Verbal Orders for Chemotherapy Drugs
Set Dose Limits for Chemotherapy Drugs
Allow Chemotherapy Orders Only from Certified Prescribers
Conduct Independent Double-Checks
Use Chemotherapy Protocols at Point of Care
Require Peer Consultation and Review for Unusual Orders