Introduction
The purpose of this paper is to explore medication errors in the healthcare setting. Medication errors are a serious problem in the healthcare industry and can have disastrous consequences. Various reasons can cause medication errors, and medical professionals must be aware of all of these aspects to reduce the occurrence of medication errors successfully. This paper will explore the causes of medication errors, including a proposed solution, possible ethical implications, how they can be prevented, and their impact on patients and the healthcare system.
Elements of the problem/issue
When a patient receives the incorrect drug prescribed by their healthcare professional, this is an example of a medication error. This may occur if the healthcare practitioner is in a hurry and does not have time to check the prescription twice or if the healthcare professional is simply not paying attention to what they are doing. This kind of mistake can have very serious consequences since it may cause the patient to take a prescription to which they are allergic or which may negatively interact with other medications they are currently taking.
Analysis
It was a typical Tuesday morning at the clinic. The waiting room was full of patients waiting to be seen by their primary care physicians. The receptionists were busy answering phone calls and checking in patients. The nurses were running around getting patients ready to be seen. The medical assistants took vitals and updated charts. Suddenly, one of the nurses came out of a patient’s room and said, “We have a problem.” The nurse explained that the patient had been prescribed the wrong medication. The patient had been prescribed a medication that they were allergic to. The nurse said that the patient was reacting to the medication and was having difficulty breathing. The patient was then taken to the E.R. for treatment. The clinic staff was in shock. They could not believe they had prescribed a patient the wrong medication. They were all worried about the patient and wondered if they would be okay.
The clinic staff started to review the prescribing process to see where the error had occurred. They soon realized that the error had occurred when the prescription was entered into the computer system. The wrong medication had been prescribed because of a typo. The clinic staff was relieved that the error had been caught and that the patient would be okay. They were also thankful they had a system to review prescriptions for errors. This incident highlights the importance of having systems in place to catch errors before they cause harm to patients. It also highlights the importance of having a system to review prescriptions for errors.
Considering Options
Medical mistake concerns me for several reasons. First and foremost, a medical error can hurt or kill. Medical error costs money and effort. Finally, adequate training helps prevent medical errors. Medical errors cause most U.S. deaths and injuries. According to the New England Journal of Medicine, medical error is the third greatest cause of death in the U.S., after heart disease and cancer. Medical errors kill almost 250,000 individuals annually, the study showed. This alarming statistic underscores the need for healthcare safety improvements. Medical error is costly. According to JAMA research, medical error costs the U.S. healthcare system $20 billion annually (Jaqua & Jaqua, 2019). This cost covers treatment and indirect costs like missed productivity. Medical errors will cost more as the population ages and the healthcare system gets more sophisticated. Prevent medical mistakes. Medical mistake prevention requires training. Healthcare providers need safety and error prevention training. They require tools and resources to avoid errors. Healthcare firms also need error detection and correction systems. I care about medical errors since they can have catastrophic implications. Preventing medical errors saves money. Medical mistake prevention requires training. Healthcare providers need safety and error prevention training. They require tools and resources to avoid errors. Healthcare firms also need error detection and correction systems.
Children, the elderly, and pregnant women are especially prone to medical blunders. Medical errors can potentially harm persons with chronic conditions or various drugs. Medication mistakes kill at least one American every day and harm 1.3 million. The prescribing doctor, pharmacist, and nurse can all make these mistakes. In one study, 5.8% of hospital patients had an adverse medication event, 31.8% of which were preventable. Medication errors are caused by three main factors: prescription, dispensing, and administration problems. When doctors prescribe the wrong drug, dosage, or frequency, errors can arise. They can also arise when a doctor overlooks a patient’s allergies or other prescriptions that may interact with the new medication.
Solution
The use of an electronic prescribing system is one solution that has been proposed to help reduce the problem of medication errors. This system would allow doctors and other prescribers to enter patient information and medication orders into a computer, generating a list of possible errors. The computer would also warn the prescriber if there were a potential error. There are several advantages to using an electronic prescribing system (“Electronic Prescribing System Cuts Dispensing Errors by Almost Half in One Trust,” 2022). First, it would help to ensure that the correct medication is prescribed for the correct patient. Second, it would help to ensure that the correct dose of the medication is prescribed. Third, it would help to ensure that the correct route of administration is prescribed. Fourth, it would help to ensure that the correct frequency of administration is prescribed. Fifth, it would provide a record of all medications prescribed for a particular patient, which would be useful for both the patient and the prescriber. There are also some disadvantages to using an electronic prescribing system. First, it would require a significant investment of time and resources. Second, there is a potential for errors to occur if the system is not used properly. Third, there is a potential for the system to be hacked or for unauthorized access to patient information. Fourth, there is a potential for the system to fail or to be unavailable when it is needed. Fifth, there is a potential for the system to generate false positives or false negatives.
Implementation
Medication prescribing and dispensing must be changed to accomplish the proposed medication error remedy. First, all prescriptions must include the medication’s name, dose, and prescribing doctor’s contact information. All medications must be labeled with their name and dosage. The medication would also need to be labeled and given to patients with instructions. A system that allows patients to rapidly check their medications against a list of all their medications would help prevent medication errors. Patients should also be reminded to maintain track of their drugs and report errors to their doctors. Healthcare providers must be taught to prescribe, dispense, and report medication errors. Medication error complaints must also be tracked and investigated (Panca et al., 2018). Patients and healthcare providers must be educated on these new practices to prevent pharmaceutical errors.
Medication mistakes can lead to patients taking the wrong medication. This may cause health issues or death. If they take the improper dosage, patients may not benefit from their medication. This may aggravate or mismanage their symptoms. Taking the wrong medication can cause health issues. If a patient takes a contraindicated medicine, they may develop new and potentially significant side effects. Medication errors can damage patient-provider trust if not addressed. This may discourage patients from seeking medical care or following their doctor’s advice. Medication errors raise healthcare expenses (Hassan, 2018). If a patient is hospitalized after taking the wrong drug, their insurance company may have to pay. Medication errors can lead to lawsuits against healthcare providers. The patient or family may receive financial penalties or damages. Medication errors can kill, especially if a life-threatening patient receives the wrong drug. Medication errors can potentially affect other individuals taking similar drugs. If one patient takes the wrong prescription and has a bad reaction, other patients receiving the same medication may reconsider their therapy. Medication blunders can damage a hospital’s reputation. If a clinician or institution has a history of prescription errors, other patients may avoid it. Finally, ignoring medication errors can indicate that the healthcare provider or facility does not prioritize patient safety. This could damage the provider-community connection and reduce funding.
Ethical Implications
Beneficence is the principle that dictates that we ought to act in ways that promote the well-being of others. This principle would require that any potential solution to medication errors promote patients’ well-being. Nonmaleficence is the principle that dictates that we ought not to act in ways that cause harm to others. This principle would require that any potential solution to the issue of medication errors not cause harm to patients. Autonomy is the principle that dictates that we ought to respect the autonomy of others, which includes their right to make decisions about their own lives. This principle would require that any potential solution to the issue of medication errors respect patients’ autonomy by allowing them to make decisions about their care. Justice is the principle that dictates that we ought to treat others fairly and equitably. This principle would require that any potential solution to the issue of medication errors be implemented in a way that is fair and equitable to all patients.
Beneficence must be considered when implementing a potential solution to the issue of medication errors (“Ethical Principles in Healthcare,” 2020). This principle dictates that healthcare professionals act in their patient’s best interests. In other words, they should ensure that their patients receive the best care and minimize any risks. One study found that 4.1% of all hospital admissions in the United States were associated with a medication error. Of these errors, 28.6% were considered major, defined as errors that resulted in death, permanent disability, or a length of stay in the hospital of 3 days or more. The most common type of error was an inappropriate medication error, accounting for 19.6% of all errors.
Conclusion
There is no doubt that medication errors are a serious problem in the healthcare industry. They can lead to serious consequences for patients, including death. Some factors contribute to medication errors, such as poor communication between healthcare providers, incorrect dosage, and incorrect labeling. Healthcare providers must be aware of the potential for medication errors and take steps to prevent them. They should communicate clearly with each other and patients to ensure that the correct medication is prescribed and dispensed. They should also be sure to follow the correct dosage and administration instructions. Patients also need to be aware of the potential for medication errors and take steps to prevent them. They should make sure that they understand the instructions for taking their medication. They should also be sure to tell their healthcare providers about allergies or other medical conditions that could affect their ability to take a particular medication. Medication errors are a serious problem, but they are preventable. By improving communication and following the correct procedures, healthcare providers and patients can help ensure that the correct medication is taken every time.
References
Electronic prescribing system cuts dispensing errors by almost half in one trust. (2022). Pharmaceutical Journal. https://doi.org/10.1211/pj.2022.1.157602
Panca, A., Fitriasari, N., & Supartiwi, W. (2018). Medication Error Factors, Safety Guideline System, Flow of Drug Usage, and Code of Conduct to Prevent Medication Error. Bioinformatics and Biomedical Research Journal, 1(2), 28–32. https://doi.org/10.11594/bbrj.01.02.01
Jaqua, T., & Jaqua, E. (2019). Analyzing the Performance of the U.S. Healthcare System. Journal of Nursing and Healthcare Management, 2(1), 1–2. https://doi.org/10.18875/2639-7293.2.102
Ethical principles in healthcare. (2020). The Pharmaceutical Journal. https://doi.org/10.1211/pj.2015.20068954
Hassan, I. (2018). Avoiding Medication Errors through Effective Communication in Healthcare Environment. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3573437
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