• DO NO HARM!

    The March issue of ISMP Medication Safety Alert&reg Nurse Advise-ERR&reg, reminds us all to DO NO HARM! A nurse who was unfamiliar with the Type 2 diabetic injectable medication BYETTA (exenatide) withdrew the entire contents from the penlet (1.2 mL) and injected the patient with the equivalent of 60 doses. Once the prefilled pen is removed from the packaging, there are no instructions for use on the pen. However, it does clearly state “each prefilled pen will deliver 60 subcutaneous doses, 5 mcg per dose.” The label also states that there are 250 mcg/mL and the pen contains 1.2mL. It also states, “Do not transfer this medication to a syringe.”…