OBJECTIVES Medication errors (MEs) made by nurses are the most common errors in emergency departments (EDs). Identifying the factors responsible for MEs is crucial in designing optimal strategies for reducing such occurrences. The present study aimed to review the literature describing the prevalence and factors affecting MEs among emergency ward nurses in Iran.
METHODS
We searched electronic databases, including the Scientific Information Database, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar, for scientific studies conducted among emergency ward nurses in Iran. The studies were restricted to full-text, peer-reviewed studies published from inception to December 2019, in the Persian and English languages, that evaluated MEs among emergency ward nurses in Iran.
RESULTS
Eight studies met the inclusion criteria. Most of the nurses (58.9%) had committed MEs only once. The overall mean rate of MEs was 46.2%, and errors made during drug administration accounted for 41.7% of MEs. The most common type of administration error was drug omission (17.8%), followed by administering drugs at the wrong time (17.5%) and at an incorrect dosage (10.6%). The lack of an adequate nursing workforce during shifts and improper nurse-patient ratios were the most critical factors affecting the occurrence of MEs by nurses.
CONCLUSIONS
Despite the increased attention on patient safety in Iran, MEs by nurses remain a significant concern in EDs. Therefore, nurse managers and policy-makers must take adequate measures to reduce the incidence of MEs and their potential negative consequences.
Summary
Citations
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OBJECTIVES This study aimed to examine the prevalence and types of medication errors (MEs), as well as barriers to reporting MEs, among nurses working in 7 teaching hospitals affiliated with Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences in 2016.
METHODS
A convenience sampling method was used to select the study participants (n=500 nurses). A self-constructed questionnaire was employed to collect information on participants’ socio-demographic characteristics (10 items), their perceptions about the main causes of MEs (31 items), and barriers to reporting MEs to nurse managers (11 items). Data were collected from September 1 to November 30, 2016. Negative binomial regression was used to identify the main predictors of the frequency of MEs among nurses.
RESULTS
The prevalence of MEs was 17.0% (95% confidence interval, 13.7 to 20.3%). The most common types of MEs were administering medications at the wrong time (24.0%), dosage errors (16.8%), and administering medications to the wrong patient (13.8%). A heavy workload and the type of shift work were considered to be the main causes of MEs by nursing staff. Our findings showed that 45.0% of nurses did not report MEs. A heavy workload due to a high number of patients was the most important reason for not reporting MEs (mean score, 3.57±1.03) among nurses. Being male, having a second unrelated job, and fixed shift work significantly increased MEs among nurses (p=0.001).
CONCLUSIONS
Our study documented a high prevalence of MEs among nurses in the west of Iran. A heavy workload was considered to be the most important barrier to reporting MEs among nurses. Thus, appropriate strategies (e.g., reducing the nursing staff workload) should be developed to address MEs and improve patient safety in hospital settings in Iran.
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