First of all, there must be a paradigm shift in the patient-provider relationship, one being to "allow and encourage patients to take a more active role in their own medical care" via some type of partnership between a patient and his/her physician. This could be accomplished by better communication via physicians "fully informing their patients about the risks, contraindications and possible side effects" of all medications ("Preventing Medication Errors," 2006, 2). Second, physicians, nurses and other health care professionals must utilize information technologies to reduce medication errors. One way is to use "point-of-care reference information typically accessed over the Internet" which provides highly-detailed information about the specifics of a certain drug and how it interacts with other medications ("Preventing Medication Errors," 2006, 3). Of course, many hospitals are now using computers instead of paper to track and account for all medications and to ensure that...
Third, the improved labeling and packaging of medications will ensure that "drug information is communicated clearly and effectively" to physicians and their patients while also improving "drug nomenclature. . . drug names. . .abbreviations and acronyms" ("Preventing Medication Errors," 2006, 3).
According to Daughton, a researcher at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Indeed, deaths from medication errors occurring both in and out of hospitals exceed 7,000 annually in the United States -- exceeding those from workplace injuries" (2003, p. 757). Tertiary healthcare facilities and other healthcare providers have identified some effective methods for reducing the number of medication errors through the use of technology, improving processes, targeting those types of specific
Medication Errors Since the research materials are provided to you by human beings, and may be based Medication errors pose a significant threat to patients. The results of medication errors vary from mild to deadly. No facility is immune from the possibility to drug errors, either through a fault of their own, or from suppliers or pharmacists that supply them. All medication errors must be reported to the Food and Drug Administration.
One proven solution to decrease medication errors is use of medication software such as CPOE. It has significantly reduced errors in prescribing, transcription, and dispensing of medications (Hidle). It also has the potential to decrease errors in administration due to unfamiliarity with a drug, drugs with similar names, or incorrect dose calculations since the software performs the calculations. So, why are these systems not used more often in the administration
Errors are unavoidable in our everyday routines. Numerous mistakes are part of the changing cycle of psychological-behavioral adjustments that lead to appropriate behavioral abilities. The following of medical directions is an essential element of the healing process, as is medical experience. But it is the most critical factor in healthcare success. In addition, it plays a vital role in patient safety. With the recent advancements in medicine, many prescription medicines
Medication Errors in an ICU Unit Medication Errors -- Including Look-Alike and Sound-Alike Drugs -- in an ICU Unit Medication errors can and do occur in the ICU unit, and they often come from look-alike and sound-alike medications that can easily get mixed up. When a nurse or other health care professional gives a medication to a patient, that professional should be absolutely certain the medication is the right one, and in
Quality and Sustainability Paper Part Two - Identifying Opportunities to Reduce Medication Error Rates by Nursing Staff As reported previously, medication errors can occur in virtually any treatment setting, including patients’ homes, but the problem is especially pronounced in hospitals where the adverse reactions caused by medication errors can result in extended inpatient stays or even death. As also reported previously, nurses account for the largest percentage of medication errors, and
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