Date of Conferral
2018
Degree
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
School
Nursing
Advisor
JANICE M. LONG
Abstract
Medication administration errors (MAEs) may lead to adverse drug events, patient morbidity, prolonged hospital stays, and increased readmission rates, and may contribute to major financial losses for the health system. MAEs are the most common type of error occurring within the health care setting leading to an estimated 7,000 patient deaths every year. Interventions have been designed to prevent MAEs including education for nurses who administer medications; however, little effort has been made to design systematic educational programs that are based on local needs and contexts. The purpose of this project was to identify internal and external factors related to MAEs at the practice site, develop an education program tailored to the factors contributing to MAEs, and implement the program using a pretest posttest design. The Iowa model was used to guide the project. The 26 nurse participants who responded to an initial survey indicated that nurses felt distractions and interruptions during medication administration, and hesitancy to ask for help or to report medication errors increased MAE risks. After the education program, the pretest and posttest results were analyzed and revealed improvement in knowledge and confidence of medication administration (M = 3.2 pre, M = 3.7 post, p < .05). Open-ended question responses suggested a need for dedicated time for preparation and administration of medications without interruptions. Positive social change is possible as nurses become knowledgeable and confident about medication administration safety and as patients are protected from injury secondary to MAEs.
Recommended Citation
Hawthorne-Kanife, Rita Chinyere, "Staff Educational Program to Prevent Medication Errors" (2018). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 6040.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/6040
