Paralyzed by Mistakes: Preventing Errors With Neuromuscular Blocking Agents

Look-Alike Drug Names

• A physician prescribed vancomycin 1.5 g IV every 12 hours for a patient, which the nurse transcribed correctly onto the medication administration record. However, the pharmacist misread the faxed copy of the handwritten order and entered vecuronium into the pharmacy computer. A technician prepared the 1.5 g dose in 250 mL using 15 vials (100 mg/10 mL) of vecuronium. The checking pharmacist did not recognize the error, so the bag was dispensed to the unit. Fortunately, the technician had affixed a vivid alert sticker stating, "Neuromuscular blocker, patient must be intubated" to the bag, which the nurse noticed, thereby averting a serious medication error.

ISMP Medication Safety Alert. 2005;10(19) © 2005 Institute for Safe Medication Practices