Patient safety in medical education: Medication safety perspectives

Abstract

An overarching issue in the medical curriculum is patient safety, which is determined by several competencies: Medication safety, professionalism, medicolegal practice, communication skill, infection control, procedural skill, health system, population/occupational health and quality of life. Since most therapeutic interventions often involve medications, the rational use of medications is a cornerstone in ensuring medication safety. There is considerable evidence, globally, that junior doctors are not competent or confident in prescribing medications, at least at the time of graduation from medical schools. Medication errors are common and often these errors can seriously compromise patient safety and quality of life. Medication errors can be due to prescribing errors, dispensing errors and drug administration errors. Many health professionals such as doctors, nurses, and pharmacists, and ultimately patients or caregivers can be responsible for such errors. Furthermore, inadequate monitoring of patients who are on drug therapy can also contribute to medication errors.