Improving Medication Administration Safety in the Clinical Environment.
Improving Medication Administration Safety in the Clinical Environment.
1. introduction, level 1, level 2, level 3 headings, and conclusion
2. one direct quotes from one of your references, appropriately cited in the body of your paper
3. or one indirect quote( or paraphrased reference) appropriately cited in the body of your paper
4. citations and references in APA format
Improving Medication
Administration Safety in the
Clinical Environment
Work interruptions create
danger at the bedside,
particularly during medication
administration. A work
interruption can be as simple as a
telephone call, noise, or an invitation
to conversation by a member
of the healthcare team, patient, or
family member while the nurse is
preparing medications. Medication
errors are a major concern for
patients and can lead to unnecessary
safety risks (Karavasiliadou &
Athanasakis, 2014). Reduction of
interruptions and associated errors
with medication administration is
essential.
Project Site and Reasons
for Change
The identified need for change
was reduction of errors and distractions
during medication administration.
The current use of a no-interruption
zone on a medical-surgical
unit was identified by the project
leader as an area for improvement
based on repeated observations of
nurses’ nonadherence to the zone
during eight random visits. Nurses,
other unit staff, and interprofessional
team members appeared unaware
of or ignored the purpose of the nointerruption
zone.
Some institutions have adopted
use of medication safety vests for
nurses to wear to alert colleagues
and patients of their involvement in
medication administration. According
to Williams, King, Thompson,
and Champagne (2014), safety vests,
posted signs, highlighted decorative
aprons, and sashes have been used
to reduce work interruptions. The
project leader decided to incorporate
situation awareness (SA) with the
use of a medication safety vest and
signage on the nursing unit and
within patient rooms (“Do Not
Disturb the Nurse during Medication
Administration”). SA refers to a
practitioner’s conscious awareness
of a circumstance or situation (Stubbings,
Chaboyer, & McMurray,
2012). An educational in-service
reinforced the purpose and rationale
for the project