What is a dosage error?

A dosage error specifically refers to the act of giving an incorrect amount of medication, whether that be too much or too little. This type of error is particularly critical in medication administration because it can directly affect the efficacy and safety of the treatment. Administering the wrong dosage can lead to under-treatment, where a patient does not receive enough medication to address their condition, or over-treatment, which may result in toxicity and harmful side effects.

While administering medication at the wrong time, giving medication to the wrong patient, or failing to delegate medication properly are significant errors in medication administration, they do not specifically pertain to the dosage itself. Each of those scenarios represents different types of medication administration errors that can also lead to adverse patient outcomes but do not fundamentally define what constitutes a dosage error. The focus on dosage highlights the importance of precise calculations and measurements in medication management to ensure patient safety and effective therapeutic outcomes.