Is Workload a Major Factor Influencing Medication Errors Among Nurses

First of all, one should have the ability to communicate effectively. Also one should have no mental or physical conditions which make him/her unable to practice. Also, one should be able to understand and communicate well in English. Also one should have no conviction that may seriously affect their ability to practice. Moreover one should have no undergoing investigations or disciplinary issues in New Zealand or any other country and lastly is not aware of any reason why their registration could be a danger to others. Also, nurses are expected to work in conjunction with the healthcare consumers in ensuring their wellbeing. Moreover, nurses should maintain safe and competent care. They should also respect privacy and confidentiality of healthcare consumers.

Also, they are expected to work well with other healthcare providers in the provision of healthcare. Also, they should work with integrity and lastly, they should maintain public trust and confidence in the profession (Nurses, 2017). Residential facilities for the aged, however, do not have such strict protocols. For one, they do not have wristbands for identification, unlike hospitals which do (Wilson et al. Therefore, if one does not know the patients, one may have to ask the patients what their names are, without assurance they will receive accurate information as most of them have dementia. Another factor associated with medication errors is where the staffing ratios are so high. In some cases, a single nurse may be involved in administering medication to over 40 residents.

Under it, there is design, data collection, and data analysis. The design of the study was a strong one because the question presented was descriptive, and it specified that would be collected in one group. The data collection was thorough as well, whereby the research addressed aspects relating to medical errors. The data analysis as well indicated that both the design and data met every assumption presented in the procedure. Concerning the reliability of the data, it is apparent from the article that for the many studies reviewed the findings were similar. Many studies were done over a wide geographical area which strengthens the evidence quality in North America. The second article is titled “Outcomes of A Quality Improvement Project for Educating Nurses on Medication Administration and Errors in Nursing Homes.

” The methodology of the research, in general, was sound and this is because of many reasons. First of all, the study had a strong design as it specified that the data would be collected from a group of 124 registered nurses and licensed vocational nurses. The question was causal, and the researchers did an excellent job as they made sure to include two groups represented by the two nursing homes in the research. Starting with the methodology of the research, I can say that the methods used answered were in line with the aim of the study which was to identify whether there are gaps related to information for medication ordering and delivery that is associated with medication errors in nursing homes for the aged (Tariq et al.

Furthermore, the conclusion shows the research question was explicitly answered hence the methods used was a proper choice. On the issue of reliability, it cannot be determined whether the results are repeatable as no other studies have been done focusing on the subject of communication. However, there is no contradiction within the research, and this provides reliability to the data. On the other hand, I believe the study is valid as there appears to be no unintended bias in the research and also the research focuses on the purpose of the study. My reason for choosing this article is that it shows the need for nurses to be taught on medication administration. Medication errors are a serious issue that leads to fatalities of old people who might have lived longer had nurses been more competent.

By acquiring knowledge, the competency of a nurse increases. It is useful to my question in that it shows the need for medication errors to be addressed for instance through education. My question was intended to highlight the issue and show that action must be taken to curb the problem. Some prescriptions were not written leading to assumptions by the patients. Order communication errors were also reported in the study. The errors most commonly encountered included wrong dosages and omission of dosages. One primary cause of these errors mentioned in the article is nurse staffing ratios which are poor. As a result, the few numbers of nurses may not handle the medications well (Ferrah et al. The education program used in the research as presented in the article was the Masspro “Safe Medication Practices Workbook” (Tenhunen et al.

However, the article mentions that in the end, only 36% of the recruits completed the study. The results of both nursing homes showed an increase in knowledge following the conclusion of the program though nursing home 1 had more significant outcomes. Nevertheless, the study showed that indeed introducing programs on how to administer medications appropriately made nurses more knowledgeable on the subject. However, this does not mean that medication errors will reduce. Identification of these communication issues shows how communication issues contribute to medication errors. One recommendation is to continuously supervise and educate nurses. Residential facilities should train nurses continually, and they also supervise them to avoid medication errors as much as possible. The residential facility could intervene and put in place regulations to ensure that nurses adhere to this training.

Also, for newly graduated nurses enrolled in these facilities, supervision should be enhanced as they are associated with higher incidences of medication errors. In a residential care facility, I would discuss with the administration on the benefits of employing more nurses over short staffing as lack of enough nurses is bound to cause more harm than benefits.   Definition of terms Competence- In nursing this refers to combination of skills, values, knowledge and attitudes all of which enable a nurse to practice effectively. Cultural awareness- This is the ability to know the differences between our cultures and other people’s cultures. Cultural sensitivity- This is the ability to identify with and appreciate the culture of other people. Delegate- To entrust a task to another person, usually at a lower position.