Providing a specific label on each individual medication dose helps decrease the risk of administration errors that could lead to adverse drug events. At a minimum, the medication label should include the patient name, room number, identification number, the medication’s generic and trade names when applicable, dosage, route, frequency, and any alerts relating to the medication. Be sure to have the label on every individual dose — do not put multiple doses in one package with only one label.
Tips
- Dispense all medications in ready-to-use single doses.
- Affix alert labels to the package so that they must be removed before the package can be opened. This will help to ensure that the staff member sees the alerts before administering the medication.
- Make the labels specific to the patient (e.g., include the patient name, room number, and identification number); do not rely on the manufacturer’s labels alone.
