Date of Conferral
1-9-2025
Degree
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
School
Nursing
Advisor
Mary Catherine Garner
Abstract
This doctoral project centered on the development and implementation of a Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) aimed at improving the accuracy of medication reconciliation for patients with complex medication regimens. Medication discrepancies and associated adverse drug events are significant concerns in healthcare, particularly during care transitions. The project addressed the practice-focused question: Will an interprofessional team reach consensus on a plan to standardize and automate the medication reconciliation process? This question highlights the importance of interprofessional collaboration in ensuring patient safety and improving healthcare outcomes. The project’s purpose was to standardize and automate the reconciliation process to reduce discrepancies, improve medication list accuracy, and enhance overall patient safety. Analytical strategies involved pre- and post-implementation data collection on key metrics. Post-implementation results were significant: medication list accuracy improved by 20%, discrepancies decreased by 8%, ADEs reduced by 9%, and hospital readmissions dropped by 10%. These outcomes affirm the effectiveness of the CPG and its potential for broader application. The project produced a validated CPG, training resources, and a structured workflow for automation and interprofessional collaboration. Recommendations include continued education for healthcare providers, regular updates to the guidelines, and integration of automated tools to sustain improvements. Beyond the local setting, the project contributes to positive social change by improving equitable access to safer healthcare by fostering interprofessional teamwork and equipping nurses with tools to enhance care transitions.
Recommended Citation
Arevalo, Monica, "Executive Summary: Clinical Practice Guideline Medication Reconciliation as a Catalyst for Patient Safety and Outcome" (2025). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 17157.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/17157
