Applying Research Skills
Create a 3–5-page annotated bibliography and summary based on your research related to best practices addressing a current health care problem or issue.
Introduction
In your professional life, you will need to find credible evidence to support your decisions and your plans of action. You will want to keep abreast of best practices to help your organization adapt to the ever-changing health care environment. Being adept at research will help you find the information you need. For this assessment, you will research a health care problem or issue faced by current health care organizations.
For this assessment, you will research best practices related to a current health care problem. Your selected problem or issue will be utilized again in Assessment 4.
• Medication Errors (*Selected topic)
o Description: A medication error is a preventable adverse effect of a patient taking the wrong medication or dosage, whether or not it is evident or harmful to the patient. Medication errors can be a source of serious patient harm, including death.
o Interventions: Electronic prescribing, pharmacist reviews, patient education.
o Keywords: Adverse drug events, medication reconciliation, patient safety, medication administration, medication errors, medication safety.
Sample Solution
Introduction
Medication errors are a significant patient safety concern, with estimates suggesting that they occur in up to 29% of all medication administrations. These errors can have serious consequences, including patient harm, disability, and even death. Addressing medication errors is crucial for improving patient safety and reducing healthcare costs.
This annotated bibliography and summary focus on best practices for addressing medication errors in healthcare settings. The bibliography includes a selection of peer-reviewed journal articles and other credible sources that provide evidence-based recommendations for preventing and minimizing medication errors.
Full Answer Section
This review article provides an overview of medication safety and medication error prevention systems. The authors discuss various types of medication error prevention systems, such as computerized decision support systems, bar-coding systems, and intelligent cabinets. They also highlight the importance of human factors engineering in designing medication error prevention systems.- Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). (2023). Medication Safety. Retrieved from https://www.ahrq.gov/topics/medication-safety.html
- Implement electronic prescribing (e-prescribing): E-prescribing can help to reduce medication errors by eliminating transcription errors and ensuring that prescriptions are accurate and complete.
- Conduct pharmacist reviews: Pharmacists can play a critical role in preventing medication errors by reviewing orders, providing medication counseling, and monitoring for drug interactions.
- Educate patients: Patients should be educated about their medications, including the name, dosage, and how to take them correctly. They should also be encouraged to ask questions and report any concerns to their healthcare providers.
- Use bar-coding technology: Bar-coding technology can help to ensure that the right medication is administered to the right patient at the right time.
- Implement computerized decision support systems (CDSS): CDSS can provide real-time alerts to potential medication errors, such as drug interactions or duplicate prescriptions.
- Create a culture of safety: A culture of safety in healthcare organizations encourages reporting of medication errors and fosters a collaborative approach to preventing future errors.