Date of Conferral
11-11-2024
Degree
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
School
Nursing
Advisor
Cynthia Fletcher
Abstract
These medication errors have posed an immense threat to patient safety, regulatory compliance, and staff confidence in healthcare. Therefore, the improved understanding of nursing staff and reduction in medication error rates required targeted education of nursing staff, thus the basis upon which this quality improvement project was implemented at a nursing home facility located in the Northeastern United States. This evidence-based intervention was developed from feedback that indicated a gap in knowledge on best practices related to the administration of medication among nursing staff. These were eight in number: registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and certified nursing assistants, who had to undergo the pretest and posttest assessments to measure the knowledge gained before and after an educational program. The educational content was an expert-verified stamp on evidence-based strategies for safe medication administration, common causes of medication error, prevention techniques, and adherence to regulatory standards. Results demonstrated a significant increase in knowledge for staff, as evidenced by pretest and posttest mean scores of 4.8 and 8.4, respectively. This was also proven to be significant through a statistical analysis using a paired t-test (p < .001). These results reflect that medication errors can be reduced, patient safety enhanced, and confidence and professionalism among the staff increased through educating nursing staff. Although this project was quite successful, limitations in sample size, single-site, and short-term follow-up reduce the generalizability of results. Dissemination throughout departments and long-term follow-up would assure sustained improvement. Furthermore, individually designed continuing education programs will be invaluable in further enhancing professional development and equity of care delivery.
Recommended Citation
Akwaraonwu, Ann N., "Develop an Education Program Related to Evidence-Based Strategies Nurses Can Use to Decrease Medication Errors in a Nursing Home" (2024). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 16651.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/16651
