NURS FPX4020 Assessment 4 Safety Improvement in Medication Administration and Risks Reductions

Lima, K. P., Mata, D. A., Loureiro, S. R., Crippa, J. A., Bolsoni, L. M., & Sen, S. (2019). Association between physician depressive symptoms and medical errors. JAMA Network Open , 2(11) . https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.16097

The research identified that the doctors’ or physicians’ health was as important as nurses’ health. The results indicated that the positive symptoms of depression in physicians increased the likelihood of medication errors at healthcare institutions. The workplace factors like the low culture of safety, low nurse competence, and low respect among the medical team were identified to induce depression in physicians that caused medication errors. The resource highlights that nurses should have high competence and respect for their seniors in the medical team to increase the mental well-being of each member. The resource can be used through team-building activities at MGH, improving the mental well-being of physicians and nurses and reducing the risk of medication administration.

McCarthy, B., Fitzgerald, S., O’Shea, M., Condon, C., Collins, G. H., Clancy, M., Sheehy, A., Denieffe, S., Bergin, M., & Savage, E. (2019). Electronic nursing documentation interventions to promote or improve patient safety and quality care: A systematic review. Journal of Nursing Management , 27(3) , 491–501. https://doi.org/10.1111/jonm.12727

The research stated that electronic documentation for prescriptions and nurse interventions reduces medication and documentation errors at healthcare institutions. The resource also defined that nurse training was a mandatory element for successfully implementing electronic nursing documentation to reduce medication errors at healthcare institutions. The resource is important for nurses as it addresses the primary need for safety improvement. The resource makes it important for nurses to use electronic documentation to improve their functioning across the workplace, improving their safety by reducing the number of falls. The nurses at MGH can use this resource to increase their safety at the workplace, which is directly associated with the culture of safety at the healthcare institution and patient safety. The improved safety of nurses at the workplace will increase the safety culture, leading to low medication errors at MGH.

Alqenae, F. A., Steinke, D., & Keers, R. N. (2020). Prevalence and nature of medication errors and medication-related harm following discharge from hospital to community settings: A systematic review. Drug Safety , 43(6) . https://doi.org/10.1007/s40264-020-00918-3

The research analyzed the prevalence of medication errors and adverse drug events in the past 30 years. The analysis showed that almost all medication errors were reported post-discharge. The research identified that the period from the secondary care provision to the discharge was the most critical, as most medication errors happened in this period. The nurses can enhance their focus on the period of patient care after secondary prescription and before discharge to enhance care. The nurses at MGH can use this resource to understand the care period in which medication errors are most likely to occur and be extra careful towards the prescribed medication, patient safety, and drug administration in this specific period to reduce medication errors. The resource also helps nurses identify the possible mistakes in the given period that caused medication errors.

Menon, N. K., Shanafelt, T. D., Sinsky, C. A., Linzer, M., Carlasare, L., Brady, K. J. S., Stillman, M. J., & Trockel, M. T. (2020). Association of physician burnout with suicidal ideation and medical errors. JAMA Network Open , 3(12) . https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.28780

Work stress, workload, and burnout were reported to be significantly associated with the possibility of medication error. All healthcare professionals, including doctors, physicians, and nurses, were included in the study. The resource presented that the healthcare institutions did not evaluate the capacity of the physical domain of each nurse or medical staff before issuing the overtime. The resulting burnout was the primary reason for the increased medication errors at healthcare institutions. The resource report that nurses should not consider overtime as a potential opportunity to further their careers unless they can handle the additional workload. The nurses at MGH need to analyze their limits before burnout and avoid taking shifts that can create burnout in them to reduce medication administration. Medication errors at healthcare institutions can be reduced significantly by avoiding overtime work or putting an additional workload on individual nurses or other team members at the healthcare institution.