Medication Administration Safety
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. (2023). Medication errors and adverse drug events
Description:
This resource explains common causes of medication errors and outlines evidence-based strategies to prevent adverse drug events.
How it supports the safety initiative:
It helps nurses understand why medication errors occur and how consistent safety practices reduce patient harm.
How and when nurses should use it:
Nurses can use this resource during orientation, annual education, and when reviewing medication errors or near misses.
Institute for Safe Medication Practices. (2022). The five rights: A destination without a map
Description:
This article reviews the five rights of medication administration and discusses system factors that contribute to errors.
How it supports the safety initiative:
It reinforces foundational medication safety principles while emphasizing the importance of system-level safeguards.
How and when nurses should use it:
Useful as a refresher during medication safety training and daily practice.
World Health Organization. (2021). Medication safety in high-risk situations
Description:
This publication focuses on medication safety in high-risk environments such as emergency departments.
How it supports the safety initiative:
It highlights risk factors common in emergency care and strategies to reduce harm.
How and when nurses should use it:
Nurses can reference this resource when caring for unstable patients or administering high-risk medications.
Technology and Barcode Medication Administration
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. (2022). Barcode medication administration.
Description:
This guide explains how barcode medication administration works and its role in reducing errors.
How it supports the safety initiative:
It reinforces the importance of scanning medications and patient identifiers every time.
How and when nurses should use it:
Useful during staff training and to reinforce compliance with BCMA policies.
Institute for Safe Medication Practices. (2021). Guidelines for safe use of automated dispensing cabinets
Description:
This resource outlines best practices for safe medication storage and retrieval.
How it supports the safety initiative:
It helps reduce selection and stocking errors in medication dispensing.
How and when nurses should use it:
Nurses should use this resource when accessing medications, especially during busy shifts.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (2023). Hospital medication safety requirements
Description:
This resource outlines regulatory requirements related to medication safety and documentation.
How it supports the safety initiative:
It explains why consistent adherence to medication policies is required.
How and when nurses should use it:
Nurses can reference this resource to understand compliance expectations and organizational standards.
Category 3: Communication and Teamwork
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. (2021). SBAR communication technique
Description:
This resource explains the SBAR communication framework.
How it supports the safety initiative:
It improves clarity when clarifying medication orders or reporting concerns.
How and when nurses should use it:
Nurses should use SBAR when communicating medication-related issues with providers.
The Joint Commission. (2023)
Communication failures and patient safety
Description:
This resource discusses how communication breakdowns contribute to patient harm.
How it supports the safety initiative:
It reinforces the importance of teamwork and speaking up to prevent medication errors.
How and when nurses should use it:
Useful during safety huddles, staff meetings, and quality improvement discussions.
O’Daniel, M., & Rosenstein, A. H. (2020)
Professional communication and team collaboration
Description:
This chapter reviews teamwork principles and shared responsibility for patient safety.
How it supports the safety initiative:
It encourages a culture of open communication and mutual accountability.
How and when nurses should use it:
Helpful when addressing communication challenges within the care team.
Category 4: Education, Reporting, and Continuous Improvement
Institute for Safe Medication Practices. (2023). Medication error reporting program
Description:
This resource explains how to report medication errors and near misses.
How it supports the safety initiative:
Reporting supports system improvements and prevents future errors.
How and when nurses should use it:
Nurses should report errors or near misses to support learning and improvement.
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. (2022). Hospital survey on patient safety culture
Description:
This survey tool measures staff perceptions of safety culture.
How it supports the safety initiative:
It helps organizations identify areas needing improvement.
How and when nurses should use it:
Nurses may participate in surveys and discuss results during quality meetings.
Griffiths, P., Recio-Saucedo, A., Dall’Ora, C., Briggs, J., Maruotti, A., Meredith, P., & Ball, J. (2020)
The association between nurse staffing and omissions in nursing care: A systematic review. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 76(6), 1274–1289
Description:
This study examines the relationship between nurse staffing levels and missed care.
How it supports the safety initiative:
Adequate staffing reduces fatigue and medication errors.
How and when nurses should use it:
Nurses and leaders can use this resource to support staffing discussions and safety planning.
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