Which is a true statement about medication errors?

A medication error can indeed occur without any harm being done, making this statement true. Medication errors encompass a broad range of mistakes, including incorrect prescribing, administration, or monitoring of medications, which may not always result in patient harm. For example, if a wrong dosage is prepared but the patient does not receive it, or if a drug is prescribed in error but not administered, there may be no actual harm despite the error occurring.

In the medical field, emphasizing the potential for errors that do not cause harm is important for developing strategies to improve safety and prevent future mistakes. Understanding that not all errors lead to negative outcomes can help healthcare professionals focus on creating better systems for medication management and error reduction.

Other options suggest limitations or misconceptions about the nature of medication errors. One option implies that medication errors are strictly human-related, disregarding the role of systemic or mechanical factors. Another suggests that all medication errors result in harm, which is not accurate. The last option asserts that medication errors can never be mechanical, ignoring the fact that equipment failures or malfunctions can also contribute to errors in medication delivery or dosing.