[Drug administration and adverse events]

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Patient Safety
• Pharmacology

Context:

• The nursing profession faces high exposure to medication errors.
• Drug administration is a critical stage where safety nets can fail.
• Medication errors contribute significantly to pharmacological iatrogenesis.

Purpose:

• To highlight the vulnerability of the nursing profession to medication errors.
• To emphasize the preventability of many medication errors.
• To present Toulouse General Hospital's strategy for reducing medication errors through event reporting.

Summary:

• Nursing staff are at the forefront of medication administration, making them susceptible to errors.
• Despite existing safety measures, medication errors persist, often occurring during the final administration step.
• Toulouse General Hospital actively promotes the reporting of medication errors to mitigate harm.

Impact:

• Implementing robust reporting systems can enhance patient safety.
• Reducing medication errors minimizes adverse drug events and healthcare costs.
• Fostering a culture of safety improves the quality of nursing care.