Introduction:
Proposed capstone topic: An evidence-based proposal that addresses the issue of hospital medication errors. Project will be focused on the implementation of a BCMA system (barcoded medication administration) to lower medication errors and enhance patient safety. It also aims at increasing staff efficiency. This project will take place in a medical-surgical section of a small rural hospital. It serves an eclectic population that includes elderly and young patients of different ethnicities and socio-economic statuses. The proposed project aligns with the Healthy People 2020 goals of improving patient safety, reducing healthcare-associated infections, and reducing medication errors.
Setting and context
Healthcare errors can be a major problem. They can cause adverse outcomes for patients, increase hospital stay and higher healthcare costs. Because this unit is responsible for administering medication to a large number of patients, the medical-surgical section of the local hospital was chosen as the location. Because the staff are diverse, standardization is necessary in order to reduce medication errors and improve patient safety. BCMA is a system that will enable staff to identify the right patient and the appropriate medication. It also allows them to determine the dose and route of the medication.
Description of the problem:
The most common problem in healthcare is medication errors. These can cause adverse patient outcomes and higher healthcare costs. Legal liability also exists for healthcare providers. According to the Institute of Medicine (IOM), medication errors account for over 7,000 deaths and 1.5 million injuries annually in the United States. Miscommunication, human error and system breakdowns are the most frequent causes of medication mistakes. By providing a consistent process for medication administration, the BCMA system helps to reduce reliance upon manual processes which can be prone to errors.
The Problem’s Impact:
The quality and outcomes of patient care are greatly affected by medication mistakes. Bad drug events (ADEs) can result from medication errors. These can be harmful to patients and increase hospital stay. Readmissions can also occur. In the United States, ADEs cost over $3.5 billion annually. In addition to legal liabilities for healthcare providers, medical errors could also lead to reputational and financial instability.
Significance and importance of the problem:
The problem of medication errors is a major issue in healthcare. They can cause adverse patient outcomes and increase healthcare costs. By providing a uniform process for medication administration that reduces the reliance upon manual processes and improves patient safety, the BCMA proposal can address this issue. The project aligns with the Healthy People 2020 goals of improving patient safety, reducing healthcare-associated infections, and reducing medication errors. Because nurses, who are in charge of medication administration, play an important role in patient safety and security, the implications of this project will affect nursing practice. Projects like this can improve patient outcomes and efficiency as well as reduce healthcare expenses.
Conclusion:
A proposal for an evidence-based, practice-based capstone project is proposed to address the problem of medication error in hospitals. Project will be focused on the implementation of a BCMA to lower medication errors and enhance patient safety. It also aims at increasing staff efficiency. It will be carried out in a remote community hospital’s medical-surgical department. The proposed project aligns with the Healthy People 2020 goals of improving patient safety, reducing healthcare-associated infections, and reducing medication errors. Nursing practice will be affected by the project as nurses are involved in medication administration. They play a crucial role in patient safety.