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Aime Achat, BS
There are many different medication errors that one can make as a nurse such as: not
checking the dose, giving the medication to the wrong patient or not checking drug levels before
administering drugs. During medication administration, nurses are distracted or interrupted 6.7
times an hour (Yoder and Dietrich, 2015). The different studies refer to using a protocol-based
implementation and other tools to help reduce medication errors due to distractions. These
methods have proven to reduce errors on the specific units that they have been executed while
administration in this particular study was termed SAFEZONE, which stands for: Secure orange
vest, Access MAR, Focus on the task, Execute the 7 medication rights, be Zealous about
standing in the marked safe zone, Open the patients door and do safety checks, Next scan
Another approach to the safe MAE applied four safety principles: empower the team,
ensuring the cognitive workspace is free of distraction, creating a work environment with
effective communication and teamwork, and educating families about the importance of disturb-
free protocols (Connor, 2016). The top 3 medication events reported in this study were wrong
dose, wrong medication/fluid, and medication omitted and when SAFEZONE was implemented
According to Yoder (2015), there are recommendations to help reduce MAEs such as:
redesigning the workplace environment, clearly mark quiet areas, follow a standard protocol for
administration, educate nurses about importance of following protocol, educate all health care
MEDICATION ERRORS 3
personnel about not distracting nurses during the process, and have nurses wear a visible sign
patient. A reason for this fear is that there are times when many patients get discharged during
the day and you get a new admission halfway through the day. There will be steps that I will use
to help prevent med errors. A basic step will be to complete the six rights of medication
administration before preparing medications, while retrieving medications, and while giving the
medications. A second step will be to let others know I am giving meds as to not be distracted
Over the years, there are more protocols and instruments to help nurses maintain safety
checks and reduce MAEs. A common tool seen in the hospital is the scanner on the portable
computers that nurses use to scan the patients wristband and medication to reduce errors.
According to these journals, many of the studies need further research despite success to have a
solid correlation that certain tools help decrease med errors. Each unit is different and a certain
tool that helps for one may not always help for the other unit.
MEDICATION ERRORS 4
References
124. doi:10.1097/DCC.0000000000000179
Yoder, M., Schadewald, D., & Dietrich, K. (2015). The Effect of a Safe Zone on Nurse