Technically Speaking: Preventing Preventable Vaccine Administration Errors in Your Medical Setting
Published on in Vaccine Update for Healthcare Providers
Published on in Vaccine Update for Healthcare Providers
It’s a dreaded scenario. Suddenly one of your staff members comes into your office and says, “We have a problem. We’ve given the wrong vaccine to one of our patients.” Or even worse, they might begin to describe errors with multiple vaccines or multiple patients or both. No one ever wants this scene to play out in their medical setting. So how do you prevent these preventable errors?
One way to prevent errors is to have everyone involved in vaccine administration in your healthcare setting review IAC’s educational handout, Don’t Be Guilty of These Preventable Errors in Vaccine Administration. Some of the mistakes highlighted on this four-page handout have more serious consequences than others, but none of these preventable errors should occur.
This practical tool lists 11 preventable errors and, for each one, provides advice on:
As detailed on the handout, are any of these preventable errors occurring in your practice?
Your patients count on you to administer vaccines safely, effectively and correctly. All of these errors can be prevented with forethought and perhaps additional staff training. So DO be guilty of correcting these potential problem areas in your medical setting. And remember, the old saying is true: Prevention is indeed the best medicine — for both you and your patients.
Other helpful vaccine administration resources
Contributed by: Deborah Wexler, MD
Categories: Vaccine Update June 2020, Technically Speaking
Materials in this section are updated as new information and vaccines become available. The Vaccine Education Center staff regularly reviews materials for accuracy.
You should not consider the information in this site to be specific, professional medical advice for your personal health or for your family's personal health. You should not use it to replace any relationship with a physician or other qualified healthcare professional. For medical concerns, including decisions about vaccinations, medications and other treatments, you should always consult your physician or, in serious cases, seek immediate assistance from emergency personnel.