In this assessment, I will continue to explore the consequences of medication errors and delve into some possible solutions in order to prevent or at the very least minimize their occurrence. Medication errors are described by the National Coordinating Council for Medicine Error Reporting and Prevention as “any preventable incident that may cause or contribute to inappropriate medication usage or patient harm while the medication is within the control of the healthcare practitioner.” It is critical to explore different options and solutions in order to assist healthcare workers in preventing medication errors. Not only because medication errors can result in patient harm but also because the error typically falls on the nurse or health care professional who provided the medication.
Elements of the Problem/Issue
According to studies, a hospitalized patient is estimated to be subjected to at least one medication error per day. Up to 35% of these medication errors result in severe or life-threatening outcomes for the patient (Schmidt et al., 2017). Medication errors can occur, for example, if a healthcare professional is constantly being interrupted or has too many patients to care for safely. Two examples of common medication errors include; A healthcare professional giving a patient the wrong medication and a patient being given the wrong dose of something. Medication dosage and timing should be thoroughly evaluated by the health care interdisciplinary team as an incorrect dose can have significant consequences when given.
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