b'| LEADERSHIP GUIDEteam, as well as treatment initiatives and documenting the effectiveness of treat-It is important that nurses and other healthcare ment. Healthcare organizations mustprofessionals are consistent in their use of terms related develop systems and processes to ensure the ongoing evaluation of the technol- to medication safety. These terms must be defined ogy used within their workplaces and to optimize its effectiveness. consistently throughout healthcare organizations.THE ROLE OF GOVERNING BODIES ANDThe Centers for Disease Control andachieving impact.PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS INPrevention (CDC). The CDC pro- Workscol laborativelya nd MEDICATION SAFETY tects the public health of the nation byinterdisciplinary.In order to improve medication safety andproviding leadership and direction inAn honorific society for exceptional reduce errors, it is important to know thatthe prevention and control of diseasesleaders.there are numerous agencies and organiza- and other preventable conditions, and tions that promote and oversee the safety ofresponding to public health emergen- FOR PROFIT ORGANIZATIONShealthcare environments, particularly medi- cies (U.S. Department of Health &United States Pharmacopeia (USP). The cation safety. Each is geared toward monitor- Human Services, no date given b). USP, as the organization prefers to be known, ing the efficacy of medications administeredThe Food and Drug Administrationis the official public-standards-setting author-and providing education to the public and(FDA). The FDA ensures that food isity for all prescription and over-the-counter to healthcare professionals. Following aresafe, pure, and wholesome, human andmedicines, dietary supplements, and other some of these agencies and organizations thatanimal drugs, biological products, andhealthcare products manufactured and sold annually monitor adverse drug events andmedical devices are safe and effective,in the United States. Its mission is to improve medication errors.and electronic products that emit radia- global health through public standards and tion are safe (U.S. Department of Healthrelated programs that help to ensure the qual-GOVERNING BODIES & Human Services, no date given b). ity, safety, and benefit of medicines and foods The United States Department of HealthNational Institutes of Health (NIH).(USP, 2018).& Human Services (HHS): The mission ofThe NIH supports biomedical andThe National Coordinating Council the U.S. Department of Health & Humanbehavioral research with the Unitedfor Medication Error Reporting and Services is to enhance and protect theStates and abroad, conducts research inPrevention (NCC MERP). The NCC MERP health and well-being of all Americans. Thisits own laboratories and clinics, trainswas founded to address the interdisciplinary mission is fulfilled by providing for effec- promising young researchers, and pro- causes of errors and to promote the safe use tive health and human services and foster- motes collecting and sharing medicalof medications (NCC MERP, 2018).ing advances in medicine, public health, andknowledge (U.S. Department of Health social services (U.S. Department of Health && Human Services, no date given b).NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONSHuman Services,(n.d.a) The National Academy of MedicineThe Institute for Safe Medication Practices HHS has 11 operating divisions, includ- (NAM). The NAM was founded in 1970 as(ISMP). The ISMP is the only 501c(3) non-ing eight agencies in the U.S. Public Healththe Institute of Medicine (IOM) and is one ofprofit organization devoted entirely to pre-Service and three human service agen- three academies that make up the Nationalventing medication errors (ISMP, 2018a). cies (U.S. Department of Health & HumanAcademies of Sciences, Engineering, andISMP is known as the gold standard for Services, no date given b). The divisionsMedicine. Its mission is to improve healthmedication safety. It runs the only national most directly linked to medication safetyfor all by advancing science, acceleratingvoluntary practitioner medication error are: health equity, and providing independent,reporting program, publishes newsletters The Agency for Healthcare Researchauthoritative, and trusted advice nation- with real-time error information, and offers and Quality (AHRO). The AHROsally and globally. Its vision is a healthiera large variety of educational programs, tools, mission is to produce evidence tofuture for everyone (National Academy ofand guidelines (ISMP, 2018a). make healthcare safer, higher quality,Medicine, 2018). The Joint Commission.The Joint more accessible, equitable, and afford- The NAM is (National Academy ofCommission is an independent, not-for-able, and to work within HHS and withMedicine, 2018): profit organization that certifies almost other partners to make sure that theAn independent, evidence-based scien- 21,000 healthcare organizations and pro-evidence is understood and used (U.tific advisor. grams in theIts mission is to continu-S. Department of Health & HumanA national academy with global scope. ously improve healthcare for the public, in Services, no date given b). Committed to catalyzing action andcollaboration with other stakeholders, by www.elitecme.com |2020| LEADERSHIP GUIDE 13'