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Medication errors in elderly acute care--a systematic review
Eija Metsälä1, Ulla Vaherkoski
1Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, Health care and nursing, Helsinki, Finland.
Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences
|March 21, 2013
Summary
Medication errors in elderly acute care stem from nursing competence, prescription issues, and work organization. Improving medication management and team cooperation is crucial for patient safety.
Area of Science:
- Geriatric Medicine
- Patient Safety
- Healthcare Quality
Background:
- Medication safety is integral to quality of care and patient safety.
- Advanced age presents unique challenges for safe medication use.
- Understanding medication errors in elderly acute care is essential for improvement.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review studies on medication errors in acute care settings for the elderly.
- To identify common types of medication errors affecting older adults in hospitals.
- To inform strategies for enhancing medication safety in this demographic.
Main Methods:
- Comprehensive database search (Cinahl, Medline, Cochrane, JBI Connect+, Medic, Ohtanen) from 2001-2011.
- Utilized MeSH terms and keywords including 'pharmacy,' 'drugs,' 'medical error,' 'deviation,' 'elderly,' 'nursing,' 'acute care,' and 'intensive care.'
- Focused on studies with a clear context of elderly acute care or where the elderly were a significant part of the population.
Main Results:
- Medication errors were linked to nursing competence and knowledge gaps.
- Prescription-related factors and patient-specific issues contributed to errors.
- Medication work organization, nursing process, and safety culture were significant factors.
- Identified practical implications for enhancing medication safety in elderly acute care.
Conclusions:
- Improving the overall medication process management is vital for elderly acute care safety.
- Enhanced cooperation among medical teams in care planning and medication review is necessary.
- Continuous education for nurses and healthcare staff on medication safety is paramount.
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