As the manager on an acute care medical unit, you note that the incide

QUESTION

As the manager on an acute care medical unit, you note that the incidence of medication errors has increased since the implementation of staffing changes. As part of your strategy to reduce errors, it is important to

a. Re-visit reporting standards for medication errors in your organization.
b. Ensure that medication errors are consistently reported.
c. Provide staff with additional education related to safe practice in medication administration.
d. Involve RN staff in determining reasons for errors and practice solutions to increase the safety of medication administration.

ANSWER:

ANS: D
Keeping Patients Safe: Transforming the Work Environment of Nurses (2004) identified many past practices that had a negative impact on nurses, and thus on patients, and recommended the inclusion of nurses in direct care in decision making involving their practice. Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health (2010) also emphasizes the role of nurses as leaders in changes that improve health.