What are medication errors defined as?

Medication errors are defined as mistakes in prescribing, dispensing, or administering medication. This encompasses a range of potential inaccuracies that can occur at various stages of medication management, including but not limited to, misjudging the correct drug dosage, selecting the wrong medication for treatment, or providing the medication to the wrong patient. These errors can have significant implications for patient safety and treatment efficacy, highlighting the critical importance of accuracy and vigilance in the medication process. Recognizing the breadth of what constitutes a medication error is crucial for healthcare professionals, as it emphasizes the need for thorough checks and balances within the medication delivery system. Other types of errors, such as diagnosing conditions or reporting patient histories, do not fall within the specific definition of medication errors, as they pertain to different aspects of patient care and healthcare delivery processes.