How One Student Leveraged Education to Prevent a Medication Error | Renew Now CE

Renew Now CE proudly highlights how a student actively used a course resource to prevent an error, demonstrating the power of continuing education to equip healthcare professionals with confidence and essential tools.

A Case Study: Preventing a Potential Medication Error

This story highlights a registered nurse (RN) in the Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) taking swift and decisive action to prevent harm to a patient.

While caring for a patient who had undergone an endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair, the nurse noticed a large hematoma near the patient’s right groin incision during an assessment. She immediately applied pressure and alerted the surgeon, who arrived quickly to assist.

The patient’s blood pressure spiked dangerously (180s/90s). This prompted the surgeon to give verbal orders for IV antihypertensives and protamine sulfate, the antidote to IV heparin. Since protamine sulfate wasn’t stocked in the Pyxis, the nurse waited for it to be delivered to the bedside. When it arrived, the surgeon instructed the nurse to administer the protamine sulfate “wide open.”

Turning to a Trusted Resource to Ensure Patient Safety

Unfamiliar with administering protamine sulfate, the nurse decided to verify the correct dosing. She remembered Renew Now CE’s Preventing Medical Errors course. The course had highlighted DailyMed, a trusted drug guide available on the NIH website.

After quickly reviewing DailyMed, the nurse determined that the safe dose and administration of protamine sulfate was 50mg over 10 minutes. This critical information empowered the nurse to confidently advocate for safer administration. By doing so, she potentially avoided a medication error and serious harm to the patient.

The nurse shared that Renew Now CE’s course not only raised her awareness about tools like DailyMed but also instilled the confidence to turn to reputable scientific evidence for support. She felt reassured knowing she had access to reliable, evidence-based guidelines in a high-pressure situation.

Education Saves Lives

This case powerfully demonstrates how a student used a resource from a course to avoid making an error. Renew Now CE commits to equipping healthcare professionals with the knowledge and tools they need to prioritize patient safety. The courses are designed to help them make informed decisions and prevent medical errors.

Continuing Education That Makes a Difference

This story showcases the life-saving value of continuing education. With Renew Now CE’s Preventing Medical Errors course, healthcare professionals gain essential skills and build the confidence to make informed, evidence-based decisions in critical situations.

Strengthen your practice and prioritize patient safety today. Enroll in the Preventing Medical Errors course todayand take the next step in your professional development.

If your RN license renewal is approaching, the Prevention of Medical Errors course for Nurses is included in the Complete Florida Nursing CE Package for 2024-2026 License Renewal (RN, LPN).

If you’re a physician or physician assistant, explore the Preventing Medical Errors course below. This course, accredited for 2.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™, is tailored specifically for Florida medical doctors and physician assistants.