In the role of a baccalaureate-prepared nurse, it is crucial to understand the professional guidelines and best practices for improving and maintaining patient safety in healthcare settings. Organizations such as Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) and the Institute of Medicine (IOM) provide valuable resources that guide nurses to enhance quality and safety in patient care. This assessment will focus on exploring the nurse’s role in driving improvement measures that address patient identification errors in healthcare settings.
Patient identification errors are a significant safety quality issue that has far-reaching consequences for patients, healthcare professionals, and the healthcare system. These errors occur when there is a mistake in verifying a patient’s identity, leading to administering the wrong medication, performing operations on the wrong site, or providing inappropriate treatments (Burgener, 2020). The potential patient harm due to these errors can be catastrophic and even fatal. Thus, it is crucial to understand the factors contributing to these errors to develop effective strategies to prevent them.
Several factors can lead to patient identification errors, such as inadequate staffing, lack of standardized procedures, distractions, and interruptions. In a Savva et al. (2022) study, nurses reported that high workloads and interruptions significantly contributed to medication errors. Furthermore, factors such as inadequate training, lack of proper communication among healthcare professionals, and technological failures were common causes of identification errors (MacDowell et al., 2021). These errors are complex and multifactorial, so addressing them through evidence-based and best-practice solutions is crucial.
Another factor that leads to patient identification errors is the need for standardized processes and protocols for patient identification. Patients often have similar names or identifiers in healthcare settings, and without proper protocols in place, it can be easy to confuse patients. Another factor is the reliance on manual identification methods, such as verbally confirming the patient’s identity, which leaves room for human error and miscommunication (Vaismoradi et al., 2020). Additionally, inadequate training or education regarding patient identification procedures can contribute to errors.
Implementing evidence-based and best-practice solutions is crucial to improve patient safety and reduce costs related to patient identification errors. One solution is the use of barcode technology for patient identification. This technology involves labeling patients with unique barcodes that contain their medical information, which can be scanned to verify their identity before any procedures or medications are administered (Savva et al., 2022). Barcode technology has been shown to reduce patient identification errors and enhance patient safety significantly. It also streamlines the identification process, saving time and reducing costs associated with errors.
Another solution is the implementation of electronic health records (EHRs) that include patient identification modules. EHRs provide a centralized and standardized system for patient identification, ensuring accuracy and consistency across all healthcare providers and settings. This eliminates the need for manual identification methods and reduces the risk of errors (Suclupe et al., 2023). EHRs also allow for integrating barcode technology and other identification methods, further enhancing patient safety.
Nurses play a pivotal role in coordinating care to increase patient safety and reduce the costs of patient identification errors. Nurses are often at the forefront of patient care and are responsible for verifying patient identities before administering medications or performing procedures (Vaismoradi et al., 2020). They can actively participate in developing and implementing standardized protocols for patient identification and educate healthcare providers on the importance of accurate patient identification.
Nurses can also collaborate with stakeholders to drive safety enhancements. One key stakeholder is the healthcare organization’s administration and management, as they are responsible for implementing policies and procedures related to patient identification. Nurses can advocate for adopting technology, such as barcode systems or EHRs, and work with the administration to ensure proper training and resources to enhance patient safety (Burgener, 2020). Nurses can also collaborate with pharmacy departments to implement medication reconciliation processes, which involve verifying patient identities and medication orders to prevent medication errors related to patient identification. Collaboration with IT departments is essential for successfully implementing and maintaining electronic health records and barcode technology.
References
Burgener, A. M. (2020). Enhancing communication to improve patient safety and to increase patient satisfaction. The health care manager, 39(3), 128-132.
MacDowell, P., Cabri, A., & Davis, M. (2021, March 12). Medication administration errors. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. https://psnet.ahrq.gov/primer/medication-administration-errors
Savva, G., Papastavrou, E., Charalambous, A., Vryonides, S., & Merkouris, A. (2022). Exploring Nurses’ Perceptions of Medication Error Risk Factors: Findings From a Sequential Qualitative Study. Global Qualitative Nursing Research, 9. https://doi.org/10.1177/23333936221094857
Suclupe, S., Kitchin, J., Sivalingam, R., & McCulloch, P. (2023). Evaluating patient identification practices during intrahospital transfers: a human factors approach. Journal of Patient Safety, 19(2), 117–127.
Vaismoradi, M., Tella, S., A. Logan, P., Khakurel, J., & Vizcaya-Moreno, F. (2020). Nurses’ adherence to patient safety principles: A systematic review. International journal of environmental research and public health, 17(6), 2028.
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