Admittedly, medication errors are rather common and they pose significant threat to the patient’s healing (and sometimes survival). Novice nurses as well as students can witnesses numerous instances of medication errors. It is an effective option to develop certain strategies to detect and address medication errors. Thus, nurses should be encouraged to report about errors so that the errors could not be made again. It is also crucial to teach future nurses medication administration.
However, this can be insufficient. Harding and Petrick (2008) stress that apart from teaching proper medication administration, students should be aware of the most common medication errors. It is not enough to make nurses discuss errors made or errors they might make in future. These data should be further transferred to medical schools so that students and novice nurses could avoid making mistakes. The researchers come to the conclusion that errors are rarely “being attributed to one single action by an individual” and it is essential to build “closer relationships with our practice agencies to gather data and collaboratively plan preventive strategies” (Harding & Petrick, 2008, p. 46). In other words, it is not enough to report about an error and discuss possible solutions or preventive measures within a particular hospital. Practitioners, educators, researchers and students should systematize and generalize each instance in order to come up with effective preventive measures.
I believe this strategy is more comprehensive as medication errors do not involve nurses and patients only. Educators, students and nurse should participate in the lasting discussion of the most common errors. I am committed to identify all possible errors I may come across. I will analyze each instance and try to come up with effective strategies to avoid such mistakes in the future.
Venous Ulcers
Venous Ulcers are definitely common health problems which cause significant health burden to the patients and financial burden to the society. It is also true that medical errors can cost a patient’s health or even life. The problem is really persistent and needs to be solved in the nearest future as it is associated with such common disorders as diabetes and obesity. Notably, the use of Unna Boot does have positive effects if applied correctly. Nurses have to have the necessary skills to apply Unna Boot so that it could help patients. Unfortunately, there are still lots of instances of medical errors and Unna Boot is proving to be less effective as it may be.
Fortunately, researchers have come up with a more efficient strategy. Thus, Augustin and Vanscheidt (2012) claim that cell-based therapies will soon become widespread techniques which will help solve the issue. The therapy is based on “human growth-arrested neonatal allogeneic fibroblasts and keratinocytes applied in a modified fibrin spray” (Augustin & Vanscheidt, 2012, p. 953-954). Thus, several groups of patients received different doses of the medicine along with the necessary bandage. The patients who received larger cell concentrations had better results, reduction of the ulcers, no pain and other unpleasant symptoms.
Admittedly, this technique needs further research. However, I believe it is likely to be more effective than Unna Boot as it will exclude any medication errors. Nurses will simply have to apply the necessary cell concentration and apply the bandage. This simple therapy can have numerous positive effects as it can also boost further research in the field.
Reference List
Augustin, M., & Vanscheidt, W. (2012). Chronic venous leg ulcers: The future of cell-based therapies. The Lancet, 380(9846), 953-955.
Harding, L., & Petrick, T. (2008). Nursing student medication errors: A retrospective review. Journal of Nursing Education, 47(1), 43-47.