One nurse's goal: Making small print a big deal

More than 1.3 million Americans fall victim to medication errors—and, for one Ohio nurse, it's a case of enough is enough. Janeen Jones, BSN, RN, has developed the MagniMed line of lighted magnification systems to make small print on medication labels easier to read.

The Institute for Safe Medication Practice, for example, recommends using light and magnification tools on all medication carts and automated dispensing units to help healthcare professionals when reading medication labels and packaging. With many caregivers having similar problems, Jones set out to develop a solution to reduce such medication errors.

Jones’s company, Janeil Enterprises, developed its line of MagniMed lighted magnification systems to assist healthcare professionals in reading small fonts on medication labels. After a year of use at a Cleveland hospital pharmacy, 94 percent of professional said the MagniMed products helped in reading medication labels, which could protect patients from dangerous medication errors.

"We want to work with healthcare providers and with the companies building and selling medication carts and cabinets," said Jones. "Our systems will help staff read the fine print and patients everywhere will be safer."