Implementation of Quality Improvement Measures for Bar-Coded Medication Administration

This quality improvement project was conducted in an emergency department composed of 17 beds. The unit's bar-coded medication administration scanning compliance rate was 68%. Nursing leadership reviewed patient safety reports, and the leading issue was medication administration compliance, thus necessitating a quality improvement intervention. In response to the bar-coded medication administration scanning issues, leadership formulated a strategy to address scanning failures and compliance.

Interventions were developed using the Plan-Do-Study-Act model, and these included discussing monthly unit scanning rates. These reports were discussed during morning and evening huddles, where scanning goals for the unit were reiterated and staff were provided with their reports to review. The unit hosted a 2-day workshop in which medication administration was discussed at length and proper scanning protocol was reviewed.

Before the implementation of the program, staff were scanning wristbands at a rate of 67% and medications at a rate of 69%. After the program's implementation, wristband and medication scanning compliance soared to averages of 97% and 96%.

By conducting this quality improvement project, scanning compliance increased within the unit. Organizations are crucial in mitigating these errors and reinforcing systems that support staff and patient safety. This QI project supports the use of bar-coded medication administration to safely administer medications.