As the largest group of healthcare professionals, over 3 million strong, registered nurses are in a unique position to lead initiatives that promote a culture of safety . Some healthcare facilities have implemented the sterile cockpitrule, which means eliminating distractions during medication preparation to avoid medication errors. Washington, DC: National Academies Press, Institute of Medicine; 2001. And although it can be tough to prevent them, it’s possible in many cases, especially if hospitals are willing to take various approaches to solving the problem. It is important for all nurses to become familiar with various strategies to prevent or reduce the likelihood of medication errors. In 1999, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality began to focus heavily on preventing medication errors. Many more studies have been done and possible solutions have been implemented, but recent reports show that an increasing number of errors are endangering patients and costing the healthcare system billions of dollars. Ensure the five rights of medication administration. Other reports published after 1999 have drawn attention to patient safety improvement efforts, including 5-, 10-, and Here are ten strategies to help you do just that. Patient Responsibility for Preventing Medication Errors How Responsible are Patients When It Comes to Preventing Medication Errors? Following a number of studies on the high incidence of medical errors and increasing efforts to improve patient safety, the prevention and reduction of medical errors has become a priority for federal and state regulatory agencies and healthcare providers across the nation. Committee on Identifying and Preventing Medication Errors; Aspden P, Wolcott J, Bootman L, Cronenwett L, eds. Below are five tips and tricks you can use each day in an effort to prevent medical errors in nursing. 1. Nurses must ensure that institutional policies related to medication transcription are followed. Preventable adverse events or sentinel events are defined as events that cause an injury to a patient as a result of inaction on the part of the healthcare provider or as a result of an action/intervention whereby the injury cannot reasonably be attributed to the patient's underlying medical condition . Reducing Medication Errors Associated with At-risk Behaviors by Healthcare Professionals It is human nature to look for quicker and easier ways to accomplish tasks, but these actions may lead to, or be a result of, at-risk behaviors. the prevention of errors in patient safety.3 This report drew attention to the significant problem of medical errors in the healthcare system, one type of which is medication errors. Patients, primary health care providers, health care organizations, purchasers of group health care, legislators, and those affiliated with providing medications and medication- related products and services will benefit from this guide to reducing medication errors. Strategies for Prevention and Management of Medical Errors [CHECK OUT all the high-paying, short-term travel nursing jobs at NurseChoice.] Crossing the Quality Chasm: A New Health System for the 21st Century. Box. 5 Tips and Tricks for Preventing Medical Errors… 5. As a nurse, preventing medical errors must be at the forefront of your daily clinical practice. Recent research indicates that medical errors may be the third leading cause of death in the country. Medical errors in hospitals have become all too common nowadays. While patients should not be blamed for medication mishaps, they do have the responsibility to report issues with medications that may lead to health risks and complications. 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