Errors in drug administration can have traumatic consequences beyond the effects of the error itself, especially for the nurse involved. Use of the disciplinary procedure may have the opposite effect to that intended. Drug error classification systems, such as EDMET, may be helpful in getting around these problems, but it may be of more value to rethink attitudes to drug administration by concentrating on making sure that students appreciate the importance of being knowledgeable about pharmacology, and by establishing a way of regularly assessing qualified nurses' knowledge.