Medication safety initiative in reducing medication errors

J Nurs Care Qual. 2010 Jul-Sep;25(3):224-30. doi: 10.1097/ncq.0b013e3181ce3ae4.

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to evaluate whether a Medication Pass Time Out initiative was effective and sustainable in reducing medication administration errors. A retrospective descriptive method was used for this research, where a structured Medication Pass Time Out program was implemented following staff and physician education. As a result, the rate of interruptions during the medication administration process decreased from 81% to 0. From the observations at baseline, 6 months, and 1 year after implementation, the percent of doses of medication administered without interruption improved from 81% to 99%. Medication doses administered without errors at baseline, 6 months, and 1 year improved from 98% to 100%.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Attention
  • Humans
  • Medication Errors / nursing*
  • Medication Errors / prevention & control*
  • Medication Systems, Hospital / organization & administration
  • Medication Systems, Hospital / standards*
  • Nursing Staff, Hospital / organization & administration
  • Nursing Staff, Hospital / standards*
  • Nursing, Team / organization & administration
  • Nursing, Team / standards
  • Program Evaluation
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Risk Management / organization & administration
  • Risk Management / standards*
  • Workload / standards