BCMA-Emar System: A Case Study
A BCMA-eMAR system can only work effectively only when everything is done the way it should be done. For medication error to be effectively reduced while using BCMA-eMAR systems, it must be used correctly at the point-of-care of the patient (Gann, 2015). Many nurses try to work around the system such as making copies of the bar-code and storing them in the medication cart for ease of scanning, proceeding to give medication to patients because the barcodes would not scan, getting out the medication and not giving to the patient promptly and already documented as given, the bar-code scanner would not work and other similar issues (Rack et al.,2011). Education of the nurse must be a continuous process to ensure that the best is gotten out of
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the system usage. Constant and frequent training on the BCMA system should be done such that every nurse on the floor becomes used to it like an everyday process.
Also, there should be measures in place for a solution to every problem that the nurse encounters while using BCMA-eMAR. For example, the system should be able to alert a nursing coordinator if a nurse attempts to bypass the wristband for an appropriate intervention and the problem the nurse encountered with the BCMA-eMAR should be resolved easily (Gann, 2015). According to Young et al., (2010), the most common errors are usually wrong dose and wrong time and it is important for the nurse to be educated constantly about the administration of medication in a BCMA-eMAR process and for nurse managers to always continuously state the importance of working according to the system’s safety features and also discovering and correcting the various causes for which nurses try to get work-arounds. This will enhance the overall effectiveness of the BCMA-eMAR system and not defeat the purpose for which it was being used , while at the same time verifying the five rights of medication administration which are: right patient, right medication right time, right dose, and right route. (Young et
al.,2010).
In conclusion, the use of a BCMA-eMAR system in the health care setting has been proven to reduce medication errors. However, a lot still needs to be done in the area of ensuring that the system is being utilized in the best possible way for the benefit of the patient. This is because if it is not utilized appropriately and according to protocols, it increases the chance of medication error, especially considering there may be overconfidence in the system. Also, more quantitative studies need to be done on this topic in order to measure and improve the positive effects of the BCMA-eMAR system of medication administration.
the system usage. Constant and frequent training on the BCMA system should be done such that every nurse on the floor becomes used to it like an everyday process.
Also, there should be measures in place for a solution to every problem that the nurse encounters while using BCMA-eMAR. For example, the system should be able to alert a nursing coordinator if a nurse attempts to bypass the wristband for an appropriate intervention and the problem the nurse encountered with the BCMA-eMAR should be resolved easily (Gann, 2015). According to Young et al., (2010), the most common errors are usually wrong dose and wrong time and it is important for the nurse to be educated constantly about the administration of medication in a BCMA-eMAR process and for nurse managers to always continuously state the importance of working according to the system’s safety features and also discovering and correcting the various causes for which nurses try to get work-arounds. This will enhance the overall effectiveness of the BCMA-eMAR system and not defeat the purpose for which it was being used , while at the same time verifying the five rights of medication administration which are: right patient, right medication right time, right dose, and right route. (Young et
al.,2010).
In conclusion, the use of a BCMA-eMAR system in the health care setting has been proven to reduce medication errors. However, a lot still needs to be done in the area of ensuring that the system is being utilized in the best possible way for the benefit of the patient. This is because if it is not utilized appropriately and according to protocols, it increases the chance of medication error, especially considering there may be overconfidence in the system. Also, more quantitative studies need to be done on this topic in order to measure and improve the positive effects of the BCMA-eMAR system of medication administration.