Medication Errors Essay Paper

When an advanced practice nurse faces a choice between disclosing an error in medication and not disclosing it, they should always choose the former. This is, according to Kasemsap (2017). In all nursing scenarios, medication safety will be vital. However, suppose an error should be made. In that case, advanced practice nurses need to be forthcoming and explain to the patient how the error occurred, the potential effects of the error on the patient, and how the error will be ameliorated. It is also the advanced practice nurse’s responsibility to provide the patient with the steps that will be undertaken to make sure that such an error does not reoccur. The reporting of medication errors should be encouraged by creating a non-punitive and blame-free environment (Vrbnjak et al., 2016). Medication Errors Essay Paper.

Medication errors include inappropriate, irrational, ineffective prescription, overprescribing, like in the case in question, under prescribing, and errors in the writing of the prescription (Ferrah et al., 2017). Whether the error resulted from human error or systemic issues may cause severe physical injury to the patient or possibly death. The errors, which are often preventable, could also result in severe psychological, financial, and emotional distress to the patient, their families, the healthcare provider, and the organization.

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When it comes to these errors’ legal implications, the organization that is liable to ensure that the compensation offered must be wholesome. This means that the organization should be insured against such incidences, and the policy should cover medical expenses, therapy, and any lost income due to the error (Rappaport and Selbst, 2019).

In 2004, the state of New Jersey made it compulsory for medical practitioners to inform their patients that medical errors harmed them. This legislation would change how medical errors were addressed in the state, thereby calling for developing and improving strategies for addressing these errors (Rappaport and Selbst, 2019). One such strategy involved developing new standards. These standards will not only dictate how to disclose medical errors but also how organizations will address the same and compensate the affected parties. Secondly, there should be an increased emphasis on transparency. This strategy will span throughout the medical profession and thereby disclosing the norm.

While deciding on how to approach disclosure, two strategies may be considered. First, the decision needs to be based on utilizing all the information and understanding that the patient is the priority. Secondly, an advanced practice nurse will need to evaluate the alternatives in the situation. This will allow them to consider the best way to approach the disclosure process to all affected parties’ benefit.

Finally, one way to ensure that no mistakes occur in prescribing medication is perfecting the prescription writing process. Tong et al. (2017) list the guidelines associated with best practice in prescription writing. These are:

1. Ensuring that one’s writing is legible
2. Checking the script for errors even if it is computer generated
3. Double-checking the dosage and frequency of the prescribed medication
4. Confirming if the indicated route of administration is correct
5. Considering all allergies and drug interactions associated with the medication.

Latimer et al. (2017) confirm that following the above guidelines regularly is habit-forming and will eliminate some sources of medication error.  Medication Errors Essay Paper.

References

Ferrah, N., Lovell, J. J., & Ibrahim, J. E. (2017). Systematic review of the prevalence of medication errors resulting in hospitalization and death of nursing home residents. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 65(2), 433-442. DOI 10.1111/jgs.14683

Kasemsap, K. (2017). The perspectives of medical errors in the health care industry. In Impact of medical errors and malpractice on health economics, quality, and patient safety (pp. 113-143). IGI Global. DOI 10.4018/978-1-5225-2337-6.ch005

Latimer, S., Hewitt, J., Stanbrough, R., & McAndrew, R. (2017). Reducing medication errors: Teaching strategies that increase nursing students’ awareness of medication errors and their prevention. doi: 10.1016/j.nedt.2017.02.004.

Rappaport, D. I., & Selbst, S. M. (2019). Medical errors and malpractice lawsuits: impact on providers—part 2 of 6. Pediatric emergency care, 35(6), 440-442. doi: 10.1097/PEC.0000000000001856.

Tong, E. Y., Roman, C. P., Mitra, B., Yip, G. S., Gibbs, H., Newnham, H. H., … & Dooley, M. J. (2017). Reducing medication errors in hospital discharge summaries: a randomised controlled trial. Medical Journal of Australia, 206(1), 36-39. doi: 10.5694/mja16.00628

Vrbnjak, D., Denieffe, S., O’Gorman, C., & Pajnkihar, M. (2016). Barriers to reporting medication errors and near misses among nurses: A systematic review. International journal of nursing studies, 63, 162-178. doi: 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2016.08.019.

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Assignment: Ethical and Legal Implications of Prescribing Drugs

What type of drug should you prescribe based on your patient’s diagnosis? How much of the drug should the patient receive? How often should the drug be administered? When should the drug not be prescribed? Are there individual patient factors that could create complications when taking the drug? Should you be prescribing drugs to this patient? How might different state regulations affect the prescribing of this drug to this patient?

These are some of the questions you might consider when selecting a treatment plan for a patient.

As an advanced practice nurse prescribing drugs, you are held accountable for people’s lives every day. Patients and their families will often place trust in you because of your position. With this trust comes power and responsibility, as well as an ethical and legal obligation to “do no harm.” It is important that you are aware of current professional, legal, and ethical standards for advanced practice nurses with prescriptive authority. Additionally, it is important to ensure that the treatment plans and administration/prescribing of drugs is in accordance with the regulations of the state in which you practice. Understanding how these regulations may affect the prescribing of certain drugs in different states may have a significant impact on your patient’s treatment plan. In this Assignment, you explore ethical and legal implications of scenarios and consider how to appropriately respond.

To Prepare

• Review the Resources for this module and consider the legal and ethical implications of prescribing prescription drugs, disclosure, and nondisclosure.
• Review the scenario assigned by your Instructor for this Assignment.
• Search specific laws and standards for prescribing prescription drugs and for addressing medication errors for your state or region, and reflect on these as you review the scenario assigned by your Instructor.
• Consider the ethical and legal implications of the scenario for all stakeholders involved, such as the prescriber, pharmacist, patient, and patient’s family.
• Think about two strategies that you, as an advanced practice nurse, would use to guide your ethically and legally responsible decision-making in this scenario, including whether you would disclose any medication errors.

As a nurse practitioner, you prescribe medications for your patients. You make an error when prescribing medication to a 5-year-old patient. Medication Errors Essay Paper.  Rather than dosing him appropriately, you prescribe a dose suitable for an adult

Write  3-page paper that addresses the following:

• Explain the ethical and legal implications of the scenario you selected on all stakeholders involved, such as the prescriber, pharmacist, patient, and patient’s family.
• Describe strategies to address disclosure and nondisclosure as identified in the scenario you selected. Be sure to reference laws specific to your state.
• Explain two strategies that you, as an advanced practice nurse, would use to guide your decision making in this scenario, including whether you would disclose your error. Be sure to justify your explanation.
• Explain the process of writing prescriptions, including strategies to minimize medication errors.

Please Use APA format and follow intext citations and references rules. Do not use books as a reference. Only use peer-reviewed articles or journals no older than 5 years and to include doi. No running head needed. Medication Errors Essay Paper.