An individual can make mistakes more easily if they are working long hours and have a lot of work. Increased workloads for nurses and physicians in healthcare settings can lead to medication administration errors. Although these may not always have adverse consequences for the client, it can cause problems that could lead to the client’s death. Inadequate nutrition, lack of sleep, and stress are all factors that can lead to medication errors. It’s the body’s way of telling you that you have to rest. Many people also miss the meaning of acronyms and short forms used to administer medication.
An August 2018 article misunderstood SWFI to mean sterile irrigation water. The client received the diluted solution in a minibag with saline. The ISMP was notified about the incident. Reports have also indicated that the acronym SWFI could also be mistaken for saltwater for injection. The practitioner employed 0. The practitioner used 0. This was a grave mistake and led to more complications. This case was a result of human error. It was because there were so many ways an acronym could be used. The lack of knowledge was also a factor. SWFI should be used in a standard way and practitioners should know how to do it. If you’re unsure, it is a good idea to ask your colleagues. Memory errors can also be caused by cognitive errors. People can make mistakes in dosage and give medication to clients by misreading the directions or using the wrong route.
The authors of Nursing Standard (2014) have done a case study about a mistake in morphine administration that led to the death a client. Instead of giving 25mg subcutaneously, 25mg of morphine were given. 5mg. The nurse stated that she had misread the strength of the ampoule and gave a higher dose. This is another example of how nurses need to be able to spot if the dose they give is wrong and double-check it again. If we are still concerned that we have given too much, we can ask our colleagues to verify the order.
The article The Effect of Abbreviations and Patient Safety shows us how medication errors can happen when we write it. The abbreviation International Units (IU) is one of these. Studies have shown that people mistake IU as IV (intravenous) in healthcare. They also noted that many people make the mistake of adding trailing zeros after the value. These decimal points can also cause medication errors. The articles mentioned are just two examples of how human errors can result in medication errors. Sometimes we mistakenly interpret them as something else.
One way to avoid medication errors is to make a rule that restricts the use of certain forms. The Joint Commission’s “Do Not Use Abbreviations” list was created in The Impact of Abbreviations (Patient Safety) article. If it was standardized across all institutions, this would make it a valuable tool. This would make it much easier to identify the correct meaning of the short forms. Joint Commission recommends, for example, that short forms should be written to explain what they are. This practice would help to reduce errors. Institutions can offer training to all staff members on routine and dosage.
An equal or reduced workload can reduce errors. As stress increases, so does our ability to focus on the important things. We don’t always check the dosage of medication or if it is the right dosage for the client. Because there are so many things you need to think about while caring for the client, it is difficult to stay focused.
It is best to divide work among co-workers according to their skills and capabilities. If you are feeling down, you should consider taking a day off from work. This will allow you to not only reduce your risk but also help other employees.
