The journal chosen for submitting a publication is the Journal of Clinical Nursing, which is an international peer-reviewed source aimed at promoting high standards of nursing practice through evidence-based scientific inquiry. The publication incorporates knowledge and experience from different cultures to ensure the international exchange of ideas. The journal emphasizes critical inquiry and acknowledges both the artistic and the scientific side of nursing. The topic of the research is consistent with one of the formulated topics that are covered in the journal, specifically research aimed at increasing patient safety and reducing the harm done to patients in a healthcare setting.
The journal has specific and concise criteria for the submitted papers. The abstract is expected to accurately describe the contents of the paper, must not exceed 300 words, must not contain abbreviations or references, and must include the following sections: Aims and Objectives, Background, Design, Methods, Results, Conclusions, Relevance to Clinical Practice, and Keywords (“Journal of Clinical Nursing,” n.d.).
Research Steps
Title
Perceived causes and reporting of the medication errors among nurses: a descriptive study.
Aims and Objectives
The aim of the study was to identify the perceptions of the nursing personnel regarding the causes and prevention of medication errors.
Background
Medication errors create a considerable impact on the effectiveness of the delivered care. The phenomenon was positively associated with increased mortality and morbidity among patients. Since the issue is largely preventable, it is important to understand the perceptions of nurses in order to adjust the prevention strategies.
Design
The project was in the form of a survey administered to 792 nurses across 34 hospitals.
Methods
The research used mixed method – descriptive statistics to process the survey results and selective qualitative observations of nursing practice.
Results
The perceived likelihood of making a mistake by a nurse was 27%. Nurses with more experience tended to report lower numbers. The likelihood of reporting a wrongly administered medication upon detection was 82%, with no significant difference within the sample. The most likely cause of medication error stated by the participants was the unintelligible or damaged labeling of the medication. The most common cause of reluctance to report the findings was the fear of punitive action from the management.
Conclusions
The obtained results suggest the tendency to underestimate the likelihood of the incident, the disparity between the actual and the perceived likelihood of reporting an error, and the possible lack of collaboration between the management and the employees. Interventions should be developed aimed at raising awareness about the scope of the problem and the benefits of just culture.
Relevance to Clinical Practice
The results indicate the necessity to establish robust communication channels that would allow consistent reporting of detected errors. In addition, structural issues, such as label readability, need to be further investigated in order to address the problem.
Keywords
Medication errors, error reporting, nursing, accountability, just culture
Impact on Nursing Career
Aside from the obvious increase in the quality of delivered care and improved patient outcomes, the project would contribute to the improvements in managerial practices and, by extension, healthier workplace environment. In addition, it would provide insights into biases that cause medication errors and otherwise undermine sound nursing practices. Finally, it would increase understanding of the issue, which would impact motivation and workplace engagement.
Reference
Journal of Clinical Nursing. (n.d.).