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Building safer systems by ecological design: using restoration science to develop a medication safety intervention
P B Marck1, J A Kwan, B Preville
1Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2T4. patricia.marck@ualberta.ca
Quality & Safety in Health Care
|April 6, 2006
Summary
Restoration science principles were adapted to improve medication safety in a hospital ward. This approach enhanced safety culture, reporting, and environmental practices within existing resources.
Area of Science:
- Interdisciplinary application of ecological restoration principles to healthcare.
- Novel approach integrating environmental science with patient safety.
Background:
- Healthcare environments face challenges in medication safety due to strained resources.
- Ecological restoration focuses on repairing degraded ecosystems.
- Need to adapt restoration science lessons to enhance medication safety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if restoration science methods can be applied to medication safety.
- To pilot an innovative, multifaceted intervention for medication safety.
- To adapt principles of good restoration for healthcare settings.
Main Methods:
- Collaboration with 26 healthcare practitioners.
- Utilized principles of ecological restoration for intervention design.
- Employed focus groups, medication safety inventories, environmental photography, and modifications.
Main Results:
- Practitioners prioritized staff education and the physical medication administration environment.
- Intervention fostered a healthy reporting culture and discussions of near misses.
- Led to improved education, redesigned processes, and environmental renovations.
Conclusions:
- Hospital ward staff successfully adapted restoration science methods for medication safety.
- Strengthened medication safety practices and ward safety culture using existing resources.
- Further research is warranted to explore restoration science in healthcare.
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