Medication administration process assessment: applying lessons learned from commercial aviation
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Updated: Jun 25, 2026

A Novel Approach for the Administration of Medications and Fluids in Emergency Scenarios and Settings
Published on: November 9, 2016
Moreen Donahue1, Joseph P Brown, Joyce J Fitzpatrick
1Danbury Hospital, Danbury, Connecticut 06810, USA. moreen.donahue@danhosp.org
Abstract:
Medication administration is a major safety issue for patients and providers. The authors describe a commercial aviation-based system safety assessment conducted on the medication administration process for a community teaching hospital in the northeast United States. Processes on 2 medical units and 1 surgical unit were assessed. A sampling of qualitative outcomes is presented in a risk prioritization framework, along with practical recommendations predicated on the valuable lessons learned in commercial aviation.
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