[ANSWER]HEA93002 Assessment 3- Effectiveness of ‘Do Not Disturb’ Signs in Preventing Medication Errors During Medication Administration in Hospitals: A Systematic Review

[ANSWER PREVIEW]For health professionals, nurses who commit medication Signs in Preventing Medication errors can suffer a great deal of psychological distress,

For health professionals, nurses who commit medication Signs in Preventing Medication errors can suffer a great deal of psychological distress, especially if the error leads to patient harm, not to mention the loss of trust from patients and their families they may experience following the error (Wondmieneh et al., 2020). At the health system level, medication errors impose a huge economic burden on the country. A 2011-12 analysis estimated the annual cost of medication errors to the Australian healthcare system at $1.2 billion, with the per capita cost being $5,204 (ACSQHC, 2017).

With the country’s healthcare system already grappling with significant financial constraints, these financial costs are troubling. The wide-ranging impacts of medication errors on patients and the healthcare systems is the reason medication safety is part of the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards (ACSQHC, 2017).  

One intervention that can be useful in preventing medication errors during medication administration Signs in Preventing Medication are do-not-disturb signs (Westbrook et al., 2017). Do-not-disturb signs denote a variety of objects used in the ward setting to inform staff and patients about an ongoing medication round and to caution them not to interfere with it or cause distraction (Berdot et al. 2021; Dall’Oglio et al., 2017).

These include signage or nurse-worn vests/tabards visibly imprinted with the words ‘do not disturb/interrupt medication round in progress’, LED lanyards or sashes worn by nurses when administering medication to warn others not to interfere with the process, printed notices placed on doors and walls in the ward, as well as designated quiet areas in the ward for purposes of preparing medications (Anthony et al., 2010; Raban & Westbrook, 2014).

Do-not-disturb interventions can prevent or reduce medication errors during medication administration Signs in Preventing Medication by reducing interruptions. As nurses are administering medication, distractions by colleagues or even patients can interfere with their attentiveness, resulting in errors (Westbrook et al., 2017). Indeed, it has been shown that interruptions occur in more than half (58%) of all medication administration occasions in hospitals, with a considerable percentage of the interruptions leading to an error (Roughead et al., 2013;

Wondmieneh et al., 2020). Do-not-disturb interventions are implemented in ward settings to address this problem Signs in Preventing Medication. Nevertheless, while there are studies that have demonstrated the effectiveness of these interventions in preventing or reducing medication administration errors, research in this area remains conflicting. The latest systematic review on this topic found weak and limited evidence for the usefulness of these interventions in achieving the desired results (Raban & Westbrook, 2014).

This warrants an up-to-date review on the state of evidence on this topic. Reviewing current evidence on the effectiveness of do-not-disturb signs in preventing medication errors has important implications for patients, nurses, healthcare organisations, and the healthcare system given the significant impacts of the problem on these stakeholders. In accordance with the principle of nonmaleficence, patients have a right to safe care.

Thus, interventions aimed at reducing medication errors during medication administration can help nurses guarantee patient safety as required by the Medication Safety Standard of the NSQHS standards (ACSQHC, 2017). This is particularly true for less experienced nurses as the majority of medication errors in inpatient settings involve these nurses (Roughed et al., 2013). Medication safety in these settings would be beneficial to patients and their Signs in Preventing Medication…[Buy Full Answer for Just USD 9: 5356 WORDS]

[SOLUTION DESCRIPTION]

Type: Essay

Word Count: 5356

Grade/Mark: 88 (Distinction)

Go Home