Introduction
Patients seeking medical interventions are subjected to different risks and potential harm due to increased dependence on medication therapy. The risks associated with medication therapy may occur as a result of accidental errors from the nurse and practitioners when administering medication. The purpose of this report is to review a research study on the importance of undertaking proper medication administration. Besides, it emphasizes the need to reduce errors in medication. Some of the methods that can be put in place include frequent monitoring of errors, provision of necessary support to clinicians, improving communication, and standardizing drug-related information as well as proper labeling.
Packaging and labeling
Quite several medication errors emanate from the confusing and ambiguous labeling of drugs. Errors may arise when vital information is printed in a hidden position in the sense that it is difficult for a patient or nurse to notice. Even under circumstances where the information is vividly displayed, it might still prove difficult for nurses to identify the label especially when this piece of information is printed on a very small space relative compared to the size of the package. Such a challenge may be further complicated by healthcare practitioners who read drug labels from non-ideal or poor conditions. For instance, some nurses may read drug labels in patients’ rooms where lights are dim. In addition, improper administration of drugs may be caused by confirmation bias since some healthcare practitioners believe that they are very familiar with the procedures. Consequently, they end up ignoring vital information (Cohen 111).
Ethical vs. legal reporting
Ethical and legal reporting plays a very important role in achieving proper medication administration. The two forms of reporting assist in enhancing patients’ confidentiality and other medical information that require personal attention only. Ethical and legal reporting is a form of demonstrating respect to a patient’s dignity. It is also a method of protection especially for patients who are in vulnerable states. This type of reporting also helps in instilling confidence in patients by making them feel relaxed when communicating their disorders and injuries to healthcare practitioners. Patients who develop fear that the information they give will be passed on to other people are highly likely to withhold important information. This may hinder them from receiving the right medication. Healthcare practitioners must assure patients that their personal information is confidential and will be used solely for treatment purposes (Croskerry 330).
The five R’s
The main focus of the five R’s is to help healthcare practitioners to provide appropriate and safe nursing care. It is also worth mentioning that the right amount of dose, drug, route, and time, as well as the right healthcare recipient, is the most vital right under this category. Nurses need to ensure that all the five rights are followed by well-administering drugs. This helps in maintaining the safety of patients (Boundy and Patricia 110).
To prevent and achieve a proper administration of medication, adequate error reporting strategies should be developed. This makes it easy to detect or identify errors before they can cause further damage to the affected patients. Healthcare practitioners should also be ready to admit mistakes and as such, make the necessary corrections whenever possible. It is worth mentioning that the reliability of a healthcare institution is likely to increase if it has appropriate and effective systems for reporting errors.
Works Cited
Boundy, Janice and Stockert, Patricia. Calculation of Medication Dosages: Practical Strategies to Ensure Safety and Accuracy. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2008. Print.
Cohen, Michael. Medication Errors. Washington, D.C: American Pharmaceutical Association, 2007. Print.
Croskerry, Pat. Patient Safety in Emergency Medicine. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2009. Print.