REDUCING MEDICATION ERRORS 2

Running head: REDUCING MEDICATION ERRORS 1

REDUCING MEDICATION ERRORS 2

Reducing Medication Errors with Simulation – A Win-Win

February 2018

Introduction

The human and financial cost of medication errors to patients, families, medical facilities and insurance companies is both staggering and heartbreaking. In their article on medication safety, Zimmerman and House (2016) discuss the increased demand for the reduction of medication errors and how adding patient simulation (Institute of Medicine, 2003) as part of nursing school curriculum as well as once they’re in the field, could be the answer to this widespread problem. The purpose of this paper is to show that simulation training should be implemented in order to both decrease medication errors and increase net revenue to those that utilize High-Fidelity Simulation (HFS) education, namely nursing schools and health care institutions. Simulation could be a winning proposition for all involved.

Body

Zimmerman and House cite several sources about the high cost of medication errors stating that more than 3.5 million inpatient medication errors occur each year (IOM, 2006; National Priorities Partnership, 2010; Santelli, 2006) resulting in “$10.3 billion in avoidable health care spending” (House, 2015). Of the numerous factors that affect medication dosing errors, including the technology involved in its administration, between 49% and 53% (Saintsing, Gibson, & Pennington, 2011) of new nurses were found to be at fault. To be sure, reports from management state that over 59% of new nurses had inadequate knowledge of pharmacologic considerations/implications and 72% were incompetent in administering medication. One cause found to be a reason for a higher level of medication errors is inadequate educational training for the real practice of nursing; new nurses in the U.S. are in agreement and want to obtain the training necessary to avoid medication errors.

There are a couple of questions both educational systems and health care institutions need to decide before implementing HFS training. (1) Will the use of HFS result in nurses who make fewer medication errors, thus improving patient safety? (2) Will the high cost to buy and implement one of these units approx., $91,800 according to Hallenbeck, 2012; Laerdal Corporation, 2009, ultimately benefit their bottom line; increased revenue due to fewer incidences? The authors believe the answer to both questions is yes.

Research studies are mixed about the outcomes of using HFS as a tool to improve nurses’ skills. However, blended programs incorporating simulation combined with theoretical teaching have been found to effectively improve the healthcare practitioner’s performance. This outcome, combined with a 50% reduction in the amount of clinical instruction needed, and the savings that would be had by health care institutions if medication errors were reduced, make the utilization of HFS with didactic teaching a promising solution.

Conclusion

I have known for many years that medication errors occurred in hospitals but I didn’t realize to what extent. I’ve been relieved when I’m in a hospital that utilizes technology to help reduce medication errors; swipe your wristband to make sure you are receiving the proper medications. However, human error isn’t eliminated. Simulation training offers hope that nurses will be more prepared to properly administer medication and thereby reduce the errors that are being made far too often, with devastating consequences. The authors do a very good job of both highlighting the urgent need for a resolution to the medication error problem and justifying its implementation by showing how it will positively affect an institution’s bottom line – a win-win for all involved.

References

Hallenbeck, V.J. (2012). Use of high-fidelity simulation for staff education/development: A systematic review of the literature. Journal for Nurses in Professional Development, 28(6), 260-269.

House, P. (2015). Hospital admissions and costs of medication errors, by state, for 2014. [Economic research database created by the author.] Retrieved from pat.house@roadrunner.com

Institute of Medicine (IOM). (2003). Health professions education: A bridge to quality. Washington, DC: National Academies Press.

Institute of Medicine (IOM). (2006). Preventing medication errors. Washington, DC: National Academies Press.

Laerdal Corporation. (2009). Laerdal SimMan 3G manikin pricing sheet, 2009. Wrappingers Falls, NY.

National Priorities Partnership (NPP). (2010). Compact action brief: Preventing medication errors: A $21 billion opportunity. Retrieved from http://www.nehi.net/benthecurve/sup/documents/Medication)Errors_%20Brief.pdf

Saintsing, D., Gibson, l.m., & Pennington, A.W. (2011). The novice nurse and clinical decision making: How to avoid errors. Journal of Nursing Management, 19(3), 354-.359.

Santelli, J.P. (2006) Reconciliation failures lead to medication errors. The Joint Commission Journal of Quality and Patient Safety, 32(4), 225-229

Zimmerman, D.M., House, Patricia (2016). Impacts & innovations. Medication safety: Simulation education for new RNs promises an excellent return on investment. Nursing Economic$, 34(1), 49