Capella FPX 4000 Assessment 2

Name

Capella University

NURS-FPX4000 Developing a Nursing Perspective

Prof. Name

Date

Applying Research Skills

Medication Errors (MEs) are any preventable event that could result in inappropriate medication use or patient harm. These errors significantly impact patient safety and standard of care. The analysis of the current literature pinpoints various factors, such as system inefficiencies and communication failures, contributing to MEs. MEs notably cause extended hospital stays, delays in medication administration and rising healthcare expenses.

MEs cause 7,000 to 9,000 deaths annually in the United States (U.S). Globally, they cost $42 billion yearly, with some cases exceeding $100,000 per patient (Jaam et al., 2021). Nurses play a vital role in detecting and preventing MEs through vigilance and timely reporting. This assessment explores the root causes of MEs and evaluates their implications on patient outcomes. This initiative aims to enhance awareness and promote effective strategies to prevent MEs using evidence-based practices.

Professional Relevance

This topic is professionally relevant, as MEs directly impact patient safety and the quality of care. MEs lead to serious problems and jeopardize patients’ health. In my nursing experience, I have observed MEs due to communication breakdown and lack of training. Nurses are crucial in identifying, preventing and reporting MEs as they administer medications and observe patient responses. In my nursing practice, I have seen a notable case in the Emergency Department (ED) where a coworker mistakenly administered an excessive dose of a blood-thinning medication to a patient with a bleeding disorder. It directly impacts patient recovery and creates emotional distress among the team. This emphasized the significance of clear communication, double-checking prescriptions, vigilance, and staff training that support safe medication practices.

Articles from Academic Journals

To locate peer-reviewed papers on MEs, I searched many academic electronic databases, particularly PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus and MEDLINE. My search terms included “medication errors,” “patient safety,” “adverse drug events,” “clinical decision support” and “nursing interventions.” I used Boolean operators to narrow the search toward articles that looked at causes, preventive measures and the impact of MEs on patient outcomes. Additionally, I filtered the search to peer-reviewed journals that appeared in the last five years for relevance and currency. This helped me to choose high-quality scholarly publications that provide a holistic view of MEs prevention and its impact on modern healthcare. The selected articles discussed various factors of MEs, including communication breakdowns, lack of training, system inefficiency and human error. These studies stress the need for better medication safety protocols, staff education and system-level reforms to reduce the risk of MEs and promote patient safety.

Assessing the Credibility and Applicability of Data Sources

It is crucial to evaluate sources’ credibility to ensure the research’s reliability on MEs. First, the sources reviewed come from trustworthy peer-reviewed academic journals, which have undergone rigorous scrutiny by experts in the field. For instance, journals such as the Journal of Nursing Care Quality and the British Medical Journal of Open Quality are known for their academic integrity in healthcare literature. Furthermore, all the selected articles are from recent years, ranging from 2021 to 2024. The current relevance of these sources is further underlined by the sustained significance of MEs in healthcare as studies identify their causes, prevention measures, and economic consequences. This relevance is important for nursing practice in understanding such aspects to inform the development of effective protocols that increase patient safety during medication administration.

Annotated Bibliography

Gates, P. J., Hardie, R.-A., Raban, M. Z., Li, L., & Westbrook, J. I. (2020). How effective are electronic medication systems in reducing medication error rates and associated harm among hospital inpatients? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 28(1), 167–176. https://doi.org/10.1093/jamia/ocaa230

This article assesses the impact of Electronic Medication Systems (EMS), including electronic prescribing systems and Computerized Provider Order Entry (CPOE) systems within hospital inpatient settings. The paper’s relevance lies in its synthesis of evidence on the widespread adoption and impact of EMS in reducing MEs. The paper’s findings suggest that understanding the mechanisms behind EMS’s success can improve system design and implementation, leading to a more effective approach to ME prevention.

The paper concludes that EMS and CPOE reduce MEs by standardizing workflow processes, minimizing human error through automated checks, and addressing potential safety concerns within EMS. The rationale for choosing this paper lies in its critical analysis of EMS’s impact on patient safety and the call for future research that could help refine and strengthen the use of these systems. The insights shared are essential for creating practical approaches to prevent MEs and provide safer patient outcomes.

Marufu, T. C., Bower, R., Hendron, E., & Manning, J. C. (2021). Nursing interventions to reduce medication errors in paediatrics and neonates: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 62(62), 139–147. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedn.2021.08.024

This article focuses on the multifactorial nature of MEs during administration, especially in pediatric populations. The paper’s relevance lies in methodically investigating interventions that reduce MEs and for a tailored approach to each healthcare setting. The author presents the need for multifaceted interventions involving education programs, simulations, clinical pharmacy services, and technological improvements like smart pumps to reduce MEs.

The paper points out that clinical pharmacist involvement has been shown to prevent up to 58% of MEs and 72% of potentially high-risk errors. The article concludes that combining custom-made strategies, including education and technology, and continuous monitoring is essential for reducing MEs and ensuring patient safety. The rationale for choosing this paper is its inclusive exploration of effective strategies to reduce medication administration errors, alongside a clear identification of current gaps in practice. This approach is crucial to promoting a safety culture and preventing future MEs in healthcare settings.

Pal, P., Sambhakar, S., Dave, V., Paliwal, S. K., Paliwal, S., Sharma, M., Kumar, A., & Dhama, N. (2021). A review on emerging smart technological innovations in healthcare sector for increasing patient’s medication adherence. Global Health Journal, 5(4), 183–189. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.glohj.2021.11.006

This study emphasizes the impact of medication adherence on patient health and healthcare economics. Up to 50% of patients do not follow prescribed regimens. This paper’s relevance lies in its exploration of smart packaging technology and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) systems as innovative solutions to address medication adherence. RFID technology’s potential extends beyond packaging.

It can identify and track medications, ensuring the right patient receives the correct drug and aids in patient monitoring. The article concludes that smart packaging with RFID technology offers real-time monitoring, automatic data transmission, and interactive communication between patients and nurses to improve patient compliance and reduce MEs. The rationale for choosing this article is to potentially reduce the economic and health-related burdens associated with poor medication adherence. These innovations improve patient safety, reduce MEs, and streamline clinical trials and pharmaceutical care.

Schroers, G., Ross, G., & Moriarty, H. (2020). Nurses’ perceived causes of medication administration errors: A qualitative systematic review. The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety, 47(1), 38–53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcjq.2020.09.010

This article focuses on nurses’ critical role in medication administration and identifies the root causes of MEs within healthcare settings. The paper highlights that MEs are a substantial problem in the U.S., with around 1.3 million persons affected annually. The paper’s relevance lies in its qualitative analysis, highlighting factors like nurse fatigue, communication gaps, and insufficient training that contribute to higher ME rates. The article recommends multifaceted interventions, such as addressing staffing shortages, staff training, and improving communication to mitigate the frequency of ME.

The article concludes that integrating system-wide changes, such as reducing workload, promoting interprofessional collaboration, and enhancing supervision and training for new nurses, improves patient safety. The rationale for choosing this paper lies in its valuable insights into the complexities surrounding MEs causes and the importance of understanding these intricacies for better-targeted interventions in healthcare settings. The article’s systematic, scholarly-reviewed approach establishes its reliability, making it a vital source for formulating strategies to enhance patient safety and reduce MEs.

Summary of Learning

The insights derived from the four reviewed studies underscore critical strategies for reducing MEs. Gates et al. (2020) emphasized the role of EMS and CPOE in streamlining standardized workflows, leveraging automated safety checks and improving the consistency of medication management systems. These technologies support proactively mitigating potential risks of MEs within emergency medical systems. Marufu et al. (2021), focus on pediatric and neonatal care, demonstrating the efficacy of nursing interventions like education, simulations, and clinical pharmacy involvement.

The study emphasizes the importance of continuous evaluation in adapting strategies to evolving clinical needs. It underlines the significance of advanced technologies, like smart pumps, to alleviate the strain of MEs on healthcare systems. These approaches reinforce preventative measures. I learned from the study by Pal et al. (2021), that the transformative potential of smart packaging with RFID technology facilitates real-time monitoring, seamless data transfer, and enhanced communication between healthcare providers and patients. The author explores medication adherence issues, reducing MEs and highlighting their potential to integrate seamlessly with existing healthcare infrastructure. This innovation ensures accurate drug administration and fosters better patient compliance.

Lastly, Schroers et al. (2020), examine the root causes of MEs, such as nurse fatigue, communication gaps, and training deficiencies. It advocates for systemic changes like workload management, enhancing staff competencies, and interprofessional collaboration. The author fosters a safety culture within healthcare organizations and promotes robust communication to control MEs. Systemic changes, including structured mentorship for novice nurses, significantly strengthen patient safety. Collectively, these resources have developed my understanding of approaches to improve healthcare quality and patient outcomes.

References

Gates, P. J., Hardie, R.-A., Raban, M. Z., Li, L., & Westbrook, J. I. (2020). How effective are electronic medication systems in reducing medication error rates and associated harm among hospital inpatients? a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 28(1), 167–176. https://doi.org/10.1093/jamia/ocaa230

Jaam, M., Naseralallah, L. M., Hussain, T. A., & Pawluk, S. A. (2021). Pharmacist-led educational interventions provided to healthcare providers to reduce medication errors: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Public Library of Science ONE, 16(6), e0253588. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0253588