Teaching baccalaureate nursing students to prevent medication errors using a problem-based learning approach

An objective of the baccalaureate nursing curriculum at Thomas Jefferson University, Jefferson College of Health Professions is to facilitate nursing students' transfer of medication error knowledge into preventive action in the clinical unit. Using a problem-based learning approach, first-semester students are exposed to situations that reflect the real-world scope and complexity of medication administration and errors. Using the frameworks of Failure Mode Analysis and Human Error Mode and Effects Analysis, student groups identify hypotheses, devise solutions, and develop continuous quality improvement processes to prevent errors and facilitate error reporting. Problem-based learning is used in subsequent clinical experiences throughout the curriculum. This reinforcement, combined with a focus on increasingly complex pharmacological agents and medication calculations, enables students to employ critical thinking skills and develop the confidence necessary for safe, professional practice.