Medication administration errors: A concept analysis.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Science
• Patient Safety Research
• Healthcare Quality Improvement

Background:

• Medication administration errors during nursing care increase the risk of adverse patient outcomes.
• Existing terminology for medication errors lacks clear definition at the point of care delivery.
• Understanding medication administration errors is crucial for enhancing patient safety in acute care settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive analysis of the concept of medication errors during nursing medication administration.
• To clarify the definition and attributes of medication administration errors.
• To identify antecedents and consequences of medication administration errors in clinical practice.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was conducted across PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, and Scopus databases.
• Key search terms included 'bedside', 'point-of-care', 'nursing care', 'medication administration errors', and 'acute care'.
• Rodger's evolutionary method of concept analysis was employed to clarify the concept.

Main Results:

• Three core attributes of medication administration errors were identified: nurse-provided care, administration process, and point-of-care delivery.
• Antecedents contributing to these errors include organizational factors and individual nurse factors.
• Consequences encompass patient harm, nurse-related impacts, and organizational implications.

Conclusions:

• The persistent occurrence of medication administration errors necessitates a thorough review of current safety protocols.
• This concept analysis provides a framework for studying the healthcare environment and developing empirical measures.
• Further research is needed to assess the impact of medication administration errors and improve patient safety measures.