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Compounding This Week Newsletter from www.CompoundingToday.com
Our Compounding Knowledge, Your Peace of Mind
January 21, 2022  |  Volume 19  |  Issue 3
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Loyd V. Allen, Jr., Ph.d., R.Ph Letter from the Editor
Pharmaceutical Compounding Errors, Part 2

Classification, Description, and Prevention of Errors

Compounding errors can be divided into the following categories:

  • General Errors,
  • Incorrect Ingredients,
  • Incorrect Concentration,
  • Incorrect Use of Equipment,
  • Physicochemical Issues,
  • Microbiological Contamination,
  • Analytical Testing Issues,
  • Microbiological Testing Issues, and
  • Miscellaneous Errors.

Over the next several weeks, we will look at errors using the format or subject-headings of "Error Type," "Description," and "Avoiding the Error."

GENERAL ERRORS

Error Type Description Avoiding the Error
Receipt of the prescription Incomplete and incorrect information is presented on the prescription. Upon receipt of the prescription from either the patient or the healthcare provider, confirm the inclusion of the complete information of the patient, the medication, etc.
Interpretation of the prescription The prescription can be misinterpreted with regard to legibility, misspellings, etc. Ask a second staff member to confirm the interpretation of the prescription.
Transcription errors Following the initial receipt and interpretation of the prescription, errors can occur when one enters the information into the computer. These errors can involve, but not be limited to:
  • the names of the ingredients,
  • the quantities,
  • the units of weight and measurement,
  • instructions for the patient.
Ask a separate staff member to check the information after the computer entry.
Incorrect calculations This is possibly the number one cause of compounding errors and includes, but is not limited to:
  • misplaced decimals,
  • incorrect calculations,
  • lack of understanding of what needs to be done.
Incorrect calculations can result in errors throughout the entire compounding process and have resulted in patients' deaths.
Routinely practice calculations and participate in continuing education. Also, ensure that the person checking the calculations does so without looking at the other person's work because doing so tends to influence the checker and the same mistake can be made. Checking must be done totally separately and then the answers compared and checked. A good practice is to use exact equivalents during the calculation process and round off at the end.


Loyd V. Allen, Jr., PhD, RPh
Editor-in-Chief

International Journal of Pharmaceutical Compounding
Remington: The Science and Practice of Pharmacy Twenty-second edition

 

Did You Know (On Errors)...

...the following?

"Nothing is politically right which is morally wrong." (Daniel O'Connell)

"There is an infinity of political errors which, being once adopted, become principles." (Abbé Raynal)

 

Thought of the Week (On Errors)

"A polite man is one who listens with interest to things he knows all about when they are told by a person who knows nothing about them." (DeMorny)

 

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From Out of the Past

Pity all the mighty Caesars.
They pulled
Each whisker
Out with tweezers!
     Burma-Shave

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