How might our training and education program prevent prescription errors? Is there a connection between boosting teamwork and decreasing medication errors in medical institutions?

1.   How might our training and education program prevent prescription errors? Is there a connection between boosting teamwork and decreasing medication errors in medical institutions?

Ineffective collaboration and communication were identified as the leading causes of prescription errors. Therefore, if we dramatically enhance communication and teamwork, the rate of medication errors will also drop. In addition to increasing communication, we must lower the nurses’ workload, eliminate any distractions from the workplace, and implement proper training. Observing these instances makes it abundantly evident that there is a direct link between avoiding medication errors and effective collaboration techniques. To achieve the objective of our interdisciplinary plan, we must be centered on our processes and effectively implement changes inside the healthcare system (Chletsos & Saiti, 2019).

1.     Is cost a factor in implementing these initiatives inside the health institution?

Yes, for the execution of these types of programs, it is necessary to employ professionals in the relevant field to educate our health workers. It will incur extra costs to employ the trainers and organize the program. In addition, this plan must be routinely organized to be a continual learning process. Hence, the hospital management must know the project’s cost before implementing it in their facilities.

Theory of Change

Change theory developed by Ron Lippit will be used to guide this plan. The process’s action plan will include an analysis of the issue during the identification phase; this phase consists of three sub-phases: issue diagnosis, evaluation of capacity for change, and need for change and motivation evaluation (Szabla, 2021). All these phases aim to implement change in the clinical setting and reduce dispensing errors. The change theory’s second phase incorporates a progressive stage into the planning stage. Incorporating an error tracking system and a computerized physician order entry system (CPOE). This stage is crucial in establishing goals for improvement. For the organization to reduce distribution, authorization, and prescription errors, it will be crucial to conduct root cause analysis following open interactions. According to (Szabla, 2021), one of the main advantages of this phase is that it will lead to improved interpersonal communication among the team members.

In addition to fostering effective communication via positive communication tactics, the interprofessional team must delegate work to individual members. The last step involves getting the team ready for training and ensuring they have access to the tools they need to successfully implement the modifications throughout the institution (Szabla, 2021). However, it will be crucial to ensure the change is done in steps utilizing a transformational leadership style while simultaneously analyzing the change by contrasting the pre- and post-interventions to make any necessary adjustments to the action plan.

The Roles and Responsibilities of the Team Members

1.         All healthcare givers will be required to compare prescriptions given to clients with their records and raise any issues or discrepancies to the pharmacist. They will ensure that the correct prescription is given in the right dosage and form and that the doctors are aware of any mistakes (Palazzani & Daverio, 2021).
2.         Managers in the health institution will be charged with overseeing resources, keeping an eye on whether or not an action is effective at fixing the problem, keeping costs under control, and resolving any disagreements that arise.

   iii.         Physicians will be responsible for documenting drug information in patients’ records, utilizing mistake reporting systems, and adjusting dosing, when necessary, after gaining insight into the rationale behind the prescription.

1.         Pharmacists will distribute drugs, convey any necessary dose or route of administration adjustments to the rest of the team, and write down relevant pharmaceutical information alongside the clients’ records.

The identified collaborative approach will include role-based healthcare, problem analysis, utilizing available information to reduce medication errors, and collaborative decision-making. By focusing on the specific responsibilities of each staff member across all available services, role-based care will help pinpoint the different teams or units at fault for the prescription errors.