Medication Errors

Medication Errors Paper
Dorothy Pasowisty
Pharmacology 2
Angela Falconer
Practical Nursing Program
June 30th, 2010

Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Summaries of Journal Articles.........................................................................................................3
The Definition of a Medication Error..............................................................................................5
The Causes of Medication Errors....................................................................................................5
The Impact on Client Care...............................................................................................................6
The Strategies to Prevent Medication Errors...................................................................................8
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................9
References......................................................................................................................................10

MEDICATION ERRORS This paper will start with three summaries of journal articles related to medication errors. A definition of medication errors is given, then, moves on to discuss the causes of medication errors, the impact that medication errors has to client care and nursing, followed with some strategies to prevent medication errors. In critical care "Providing 1 critically ill patient with a single dose of a single medication requires correctly executing 80-200 steps." (Camire, Moyen, Stelfox, 2009, p.936) it is no wonder the potential for medication errors is so high. This is why we as nurses have to so vigilant when administering medications.
Summaries of Journal Articles In the article, Medication errors in

References: Camire, E., Moyen, E., & Stelfox, H. (2009). Medication errors in critical care: risk factors, prevention and disclosure. CMAJ: Canadian Medical Association Journal, 180(9), 936- E29. Chang, Y., & Mark, B. (2009). Antecedents of severe and nonsevere medication errors. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 41(1), 70-78 Clayton, B., Stock, Y., & Cooper, S. (2010). Basic Pharmacology for Nurses (15th ed.). St Louis, Missouri: Mosby Elsevier Elliott, M., & Liu, Y. (2010). The nine rights of medication administration: an overview. British Journal of Nursing (BJN), 19(5), 300-305. Potter, P., Perry, A., Ross-Kerr, J., & Wood, M. (2006). Canadian Fundamentals of Nursing (3rd ed.).Toronto, ON: Elsevier Canada