Systemic issues lie at the root of many drug errors in care homes: There are ways nurses can reduce errors in administering older people’s medications, such as using patient photos attached to medication cards.

Every time an older person in a care home has a medicine prescribed or administered, there is an up to one in ten chance of a mistake being made. Nurses say that short staffing, lack of time and having to juggle multiple medications for dozens of people all contribute to the problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]