Date of Conferral
10-6-2025
Degree
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
School
Nursing
Advisor
Dr. Maria Revell
Abstract
Medication reconciliation errors are a significant clinical concern because they have the potential to result in serious or even life-threatening harm to patients. Implementing risk-reduction strategies through targeted education and systematic processes for medication reconciliation is crucial to enhancing patient safety and mitigating the risk of errors. Over 40% of medication errors occur during patient transitions, such as admissions, which are mainly due to inadequate medication reconciliation. The project addressed a practice-focused question to increase patient admission medication reconciliation by improving nurse knowledge by 20% and reducing medication errors by 60% within 2 months. I employed a pre-/posttest design in the educational project, yielding results that showed a 15.61% increase in participant knowledge, which did not meet the projected 20% increase. An analysis of the overall error rate data revealed a 48% decrease in medication errors overall, with a mean of 0.52 errors per chart and a reduction of 1.48 errors per chart. These results did not achieve project objectives. Although objectives were not met, the project served to bring awareness to the importance of adherence to medication reconciliation during patient admissions. Targeted nurse education has the potential to lead to enhancements in patient outcomes. Ongoing education for new employees and agency nurses, along with regular audits, are essential for maintaining compliance. This initiative promoted positive social change by ensuring equitable access to safer healthcare, fostering interprofessional collaboration, and equipping nurses with education to enhance safety and quality during care transitions.
Recommended Citation
Marlowe, Wendy J., "Improving Nurse Adherence to Medication Reconciliation During Patient Admissions to Reduce Medication Errors Through Targeted Education" (2025). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 18463.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/18463
