Medication Errors

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This essay will discuss medication errors in relation to patient safety, the extent of the problem and how it can be improved. Wolf defines medication errors as “mistakes associated with drugs and IV solutions that are made during the prescription, transcription, dispensing and administration phases of drug preparation and distribution” (INMO, 2011). Medication errors are becoming a major problem in hospitals around the world. It is a preventable problem that is leading to longer hospital stays and in some cases human death (Ruth Lindquist and Lisa M. Gersema, 1998).

Through comparing figures from around the world the extent of the problem became apparent to me. In the United States an estimated 1.3 million people experience adverse drug …show more content…
“Armitage and Knapman estimate that as much as 40% of clinical nursing time is dedicated to medication management” (INMO, 2011). This equals approximately 16 hours a week. One of the biggest potential risks in nursing practise is error in drug administration (St. James Hospital, 2001). A wide range of factors contribute to errors in this area, these include: chaotic drug cabinets, understaffing, large patient workload, inadequate drug labelling, unfinished prescription orders and sound a like look a like drugs (SALADs) (INMO, 2011). To prevent such problems arising nurses are advised to use the “five rights” when administering drugs. This is a checklist to ensure the “right dose of the right drug is given to the right patient at the right time by the right route” (St. James Hospital, 2001). The use of technology and move to computerisation could greatly reduce errors in drug administration. Prescriptions would be more legible and easier to read. Drug rounds can be noisy and disruptive, it is vital that the nurse carrying out the drug round is clearly identified as unavailable, for example the use of do not disturb signs on trolleys or colourful bibs (Kreckler et al, cited in INMO, 2011). These measures could reduce medication errors as nurses are not distracted during drug …show more content…
Gersema, 1998). “Nurses have an ethical obligation to report any error or omission in practice that jeopardises patient safety” (INMO, 2011). However, nurses are hesitant to report medication errors due to the punitive culture that exists today (J.K Aronson, 2009). In 2009 the number of incidents reported to the clinical indemnity scheme was 83,847. According to Osborne et al there could be up to 25% unreported cases. As little as 10% of medication errors are actually recorded (INMO, 2011). If medication errors are not reported the cause of the problem cannot be isolated and resolved. A Blame-free, non-punitive environment must be created to promote the reporting of medication errors in the health
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