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06:59
A Novel Approach for the Administration of Medications and Fluids in Emergency Scenarios and Settings
Published on: November 9, 2016
A "back to basics" approach to reduce ED medication errors
Fidela S J Blank1, Judith Tobin, Sandra Macomber
1mergency Medicine, Baystate Medical Center, Springfield, MA, USA. del.blank@bhs.org
Journal of Emergency Nursing
|March 15, 2011
Summary
An educational intervention improved nurses' knowledge of medication administration procedures but did not significantly change observed practices. Further research is needed to bridge the gap between knowledge and behavior in clinical settings.
Area of Science:
- Nursing Education
- Patient Safety
- Healthcare Quality Improvement
Background:
- Medication errors are frequent in emergency departments, with 36% occurring during administration.
- Reinforcing basic medication administration procedures is crucial for reducing errors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To decrease medication administration errors in emergency departments.
- To evaluate an educational intervention focused on medication administration procedures.
Main Methods:
- A 3-month educational intervention was implemented for emergency department nurses.
- Knowledge, self-reported behaviors, and actual medication errors were assessed pre- and post-intervention.
- Participants included 75% of 127 nurses, with data from chart reviews and voluntary reports.
Main Results:
- Knowledge scores significantly improved post-intervention (91% vs. 69%, P = .0001).
- Self-reported adherence to recommended practices showed non-significant increases.
- Overall medication administration errors via chart review remained largely unchanged (25% vs. 24%), while voluntarily reported errors decreased.
Conclusions:
- The educational intervention effectively enhanced nurses' knowledge of medication administration.
- Improved knowledge did not lead to a statistically significant change in clinical practice.
- Interventions that modify behavior in clinical settings require further investigation.
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