Patient advocates have a critical role in preventing medication errors (SafeMedicationUse, 11 July 2023)

Summary

A patient advocate is someone who, with the patient’s consent, supports that person in their interactions with healthcare providers. This support can be provided during visits to a doctor's office, on a trip to the pharmacy, during a hospital stay, or when a nurse comes to visit in the home. An advocate can be a family member or friend, or it might be someone outside the patient's circle who offers or agrees to take on this role. An advocate can help in a variety of ways, including sharing information as needed and helping the patient understand and remember details from the visit. Having an advocate present, especially for individuals who find it hard to speak for themselves, can help prevent medication errors.

Content

SafeMedicationUse.ca received a report from a parent who advocated for their infant. The child needed daily medications for a medical condition. During a hospital stay, the doctor stopped one of the medications. When a nurse came to give the medication that had been stopped, the parent spoke up and asked for the medication not to be given. Despite some resistance, the parent insisted that the nurse check with the doctor, who confirmed that the medication was stopped. The parent's advocacy prevented an error from occurring.

In this article, SafeMedicationUse gives tips for patient advocates to help prevent medication errors.