In their landmark report, “Preventing Medication Errors,” the Institute of Medicine (IOM), in 2006, reported that a hospitalized patient will be subjected to more than one medication error each day, on average. Medication errors are very costly not only to patients but also to families, employers, hospitals, health-care providers, and insurance companies. One study found that one medication error added about $8,750 to the cost of the hospital stay. When one sees these figures, you can see that this needs to be addressed (Aspden, Wolcott, Palugod, & Bastien, 2006).
According to Fowler, Sohler and Zarillo (2009), “A medication error is any preventable event that may cause or lead to inappropriate medication use or patient harm while the medication …show more content…
Since the 2006 IOM report, healthcare facilities have been urged to transition to barcode medication administration. This will allow the person administering the medications to check the “five rights” (the right patient, the right drug, the right time, the right dose, and the right route). In addition to the human clarification, the barcode scanning will again check the “five rights.” Essentially, this will be help prevent medication errors.
In anesthesia practice, the environment must allow the provider to concentrate, especially during medication administration. Such a fast pace environment creates the optimal situation for mistakes to occur. Anesthesia providers are told to hurry in between cases because they have an operating room schedule to maintain. This is one example as to why medication errors occur. These medication errors are unintended but very much a factor within the profession of anesthesia providers. Medication errors are a concern not only to anesthesia providers but also nurses, doctors, and pharmacists. As a group they try to improve patient safety and reduce medication administration …show more content…
Hospitals need to maintain an adequate nursing workforce, even in the face of nursing shortages. A decrease in the number of bedside nurses will lead to a stressful work environment for all healthcare professionals. When nurses are overworked, it is inevitable that errors will occur. Mark et al. research suggestion is to provide professional nursing practice to aid the nurses. Making sure that nursing staff is supported will allow for better working conditions, thus improving patient safety. Creating a less stressful environment will help prevent medications errors (Mark, Salyer, & Wan,
According to Fowler, Sohler and Zarillo (2009), “A medication error is any preventable event that may cause or lead to inappropriate medication use or patient harm while the medication …show more content…
Since the 2006 IOM report, healthcare facilities have been urged to transition to barcode medication administration. This will allow the person administering the medications to check the “five rights” (the right patient, the right drug, the right time, the right dose, and the right route). In addition to the human clarification, the barcode scanning will again check the “five rights.” Essentially, this will be help prevent medication errors.
In anesthesia practice, the environment must allow the provider to concentrate, especially during medication administration. Such a fast pace environment creates the optimal situation for mistakes to occur. Anesthesia providers are told to hurry in between cases because they have an operating room schedule to maintain. This is one example as to why medication errors occur. These medication errors are unintended but very much a factor within the profession of anesthesia providers. Medication errors are a concern not only to anesthesia providers but also nurses, doctors, and pharmacists. As a group they try to improve patient safety and reduce medication administration …show more content…
Hospitals need to maintain an adequate nursing workforce, even in the face of nursing shortages. A decrease in the number of bedside nurses will lead to a stressful work environment for all healthcare professionals. When nurses are overworked, it is inevitable that errors will occur. Mark et al. research suggestion is to provide professional nursing practice to aid the nurses. Making sure that nursing staff is supported will allow for better working conditions, thus improving patient safety. Creating a less stressful environment will help prevent medications errors (Mark, Salyer, & Wan,