PTCB Certified Pharmacy Technician (PTCE)Patient Safety and Quality AssuranceMedium
A pharmacy technician receives a prescription for Celexa (citalopram) 20 mg daily. The technician accidentally pulls a bottle of Celebrex (celecoxib) 200 mg. Which error prevention strategy failed in this scenario?
- ABarcode medication administration (BCMA)
- BTall man lettering
- CPatient counseling protocols
- DSound-alike/look-alike (SALAD) medication precautions
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. Sound-alike/look-alike (SALAD) medication precautions
This scenario describes a classic look-alike/sound-alike (LASA or SALAD) medication error, where the names Celexa and Celebrex are easily confused due to similar spelling and pronunciation. Specific precautions are in place to prevent these types of errors.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. BCMA is typically used during medication administration in inpatient settings, not during the initial pulling of medication from pharmacy stock for dispensing.
- B. Tall man lettering is a specific strategy for SALAD drugs, but the error occurred because the technician confused the names, indicating the overall SALAD precaution failed, not just the lettering strategy itself (which might not have been applied or noticed).
- C. Patient counseling occurs after medication preparation and dispensing; it would not prevent the technician from initially pulling the wrong medication.
SALAD Medications
Sound-Alike/Look-Alike Drugs (SALAD) are medications with similar names or appearances that can easily be mistaken for one another, leading to medication errors.
- Often abbreviated as LASA (Look-Alike/Sound-Alike).
- Strategies to prevent errors include Tall Man Lettering, separating storage, and careful verification.
- Common cause of prescribing and dispensing errors.
Memory trick: Don't get your drugs mixed up!