Do you work with high risk medicines? An updated eLearning module on the safe use of high risk medications is now available to health professionals.

Anyone can access the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care resource which is free for nurses working in the public sector in most states and territories (all but NSW).

The Introduction to High Risk Medicines eLearning Module has been revised and updated to help junior doctors, nurses and pharmacists learn more about the safe use of high risk medicines. 

High risk medicines (HRMs) are medications that have an increased risk of causing significant patient harm or death if they are misused or used in error.

Errors with these medicines are not necessarily more common than with other medicines. As they have a very narrow margin of safety, the consequences of errors with these medicines can be more devastating.

There is no standard list of high risk medicines in Australia. Lists of HRMs have been created largely based on incident reporting systems in different health services, jurisdictions and countries. High risk medicines may vary between hospitals and other health care settings depending on the types of medicines used and patients treated.

This HRM eLearning module is the first in a series to promote the safety of high risk medicines in different healthcare settings. It describes general information about high risk medicines, errors with high risk medicines, and strategies for safe management of high risk medicines.

The module aligns with the NSQHS standards is particularly pertinent for early career health professionals working in acute care, primary care and aged care.

Safety information about each of the high risk medicine groups is covered in other modules in the series.

Participants receive a certificate on completion and each module is equal to 1 hour CPD.

For more information, visit the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care

To access the learning, visit here