What Are Common Mistakes Made When Filling Out a Medication Administration Record?

Medication administration records (MAR) are some of the most important patient files used today. Whether in a treatment center, doctor's office, nursing home, or even at home, MAR charts ensure proper administration and documentation of medications.

Some organizations continue to use printed care charts for this task. But, these are often cumbersome and inefficient (since that written data then requires someone to transfer it into the patient's electronic record). Instead, electronic versions now enable faster, more efficient functions while also reducing the risk of missed medication administration steps.

How to Fill Out a Medication Administration Record

A MAR details the drugs administered to a patient by a healthcare professional. It tracks what the provider administered, the dosage, and the timing. This ensures that harmful interactions between medications do not occur and reduces dosing errors to ensure patients do not get more than they should according to prescription requirements.

When filling out an MAR providers must verify the patient and the chart, double check medication, document any details, and organize communication flow from one nurse and doctor to the next shift or providers.

Avoid These Common MAR Mistakes

The importance of accuracy and attention to detail with medical administration records is so critical that it's necessary to consider what could go wrong. That is, if you're just starting out or looking for ways to improve efficiency, don't make these mistakes with MARs:

1. Getting to the Charting Later

Simply chart at the time of administration every time. That means bringing the charting tools (electronic or otherwise) with you to document the administration. Any delay leads to the potential for mistakes or forgetting to chart all together.

2. Not Checking Patient Health and Drug History First

Each patient's medical and drug history must be updated on a routine basis. This ensures any potential adverse reactions are minimized. All updated information should be noted in the MAR and updated frequently, at least when there are any changes to note. Then, providers must check this chart before administering any such substance.

3. Pre-charting

Pre-charting is not uncommon for those who are trying to be efficient, but it is an incredible mistake. Anticipatory charting must be avoided to prevent miscommunication from occurring. Should an emergency occur (or any delay for any reason) that creates an inaccuracy in the charting, and may make it hard for the next practitioner to know when a patient received medications.

4. Not Providing Enough Information

Often, charting on paper often leads to just documenting "notes" to use later for electronic charting and updating of patient records. However, when this occurs, not providing enough information and relying on memory is a worrisome habit. If you do not update the record fully, such as with details about the dosage amount, or the wrong initials are used, that leads to complications later.

5. Not Charting the Professionals Involved

Whether it's a nurse or a physician directly, the details of who gave the medication should always be noted. This information helps to verify when and where mistakes may have occurred over time.

The Importance of Learning How to Fill Out a Medication Administration Record Accurately

For those who are looking for an effective way to streamline MAR, don't make the mistake of rushing the process, putting it off, or assigning someone else the task.  MAR accuracy is critical for several reasons:

• It ensures the type of medication administered to avoid mistakes.

• It enables providers to determine if medication errors occurred.

• Doctors and nurses can use this information to determine what medications could create side effects or complications.

• It speeds up communication and facilitates collaboration in one of the most important areas of the job.

• It minimizes the risk of overdose for patients, especially those who may not be able to communicate their needs or uses.

It's critical to make MAR management a priority in the ongoing tasks handled by professionals throughout the day. An effort to streamline the process could help reduce the risk of any of these mistakes from happening.

Know the Strategies for Minimizing Medication Administration Record Errors

TempDev can help improve the way charting happens, reducing the risk of errors and improving efficiencies for overworked and busy providers. With our NextGen consultants and trainers, our team can help you upgrade your current EHR system to ensure that medication administration records are consistently up to date and maintained.

TempDev's NextGen resources, including reports and templates, enable better communication and collaboration while also minimizing any difficulties or delays that slow down the process. With these tools, you can ensure you have the most effective MAR resources available to minimize complications along the way.

Contact us here or by calling us at 888.TEMP.DEV to get help working with a Medication Administration Record.