SUMMARY:

The study focuses on the different factors which contribute to the medication,
documentation, and other types of nursing errors in two Pacific Northwest cities of the
United States through a cross-sectional survey of the nursing staffs focusing nursing unit
design, medication room, perceived errors and adverse events, and demographic
information. It was conveyed in the study that there were various environmental factors,
namely inadequate space in charting and documentation area, lengthy walking distances
to patient rooms, insufficient patient surveillance opportunity/lack of visibility to all parts
of the nursing unit, small size of the medication room, inappropriate organization of
medical supplies, high noise levels in nursing unit, poor lighting, and lack of privacy in the
nursing stations, which greatly resulted to instances of medications errors. The study also
noted non-environmental variables, but environmental factors are still identified as the
most common cause. It is recommended that healthcare settings are to implement certain
modifications in their physical environment and to formulate a plan and design process
that would draw attention of the design professionals to the link between physical
environment and errors.
REACTION:
Even though when we are still student nurses, we are already trained to be
accurate and cautious as possible when administering medications to our patients. We
also need to be learned enough to whatever drugs we are going to give to our patients,
like their actions, adverse effects, contraindications, and nursing considerations. We,
nurses, are responsible for preparing and administering medicines to our clients, and as
we give these drugs to them, we are expected to assure that the ten patient rights are
observed, especially in guaranteeing that the medicines are given in the correct dose, in
good qualities, given in the route, and that the clients are well-informed on the drugs they
have been taking. It is the main reason why we are studying pharmacology in order to be
well-versed in every actions we take, specifically in administering drugs. In preparing the
medicines, it was emphasized during our first year that it is important to read and compare
the label on the drug with the order at least three times: when removing from the medicine
cabinet, before pouring or placing the medicine in the container, and when returning

medicine to the cabinet. These are all done to ensure that errors are not made, especially
that any mistaken drug can lead the patients health will be put in jeopardy.
The study has revealed that there are several environmental factors, as well as
non-environmental variables like poor training of health professionals, overwork and
stress of health professionals, high nurse to patient ratio, health professionals not working
together as a team, and poor handwriting by health professionals, that are potentially
problematic in nursing station areas and are considered as leading to medication,
documentation, and other types of nursing errors. Amidst these limitations, these do not
excuse us from decreasing our competence in our profession, considering that we are
dealing with lives. In the nursing key areas of responsibility, we are expected to deliver
safe and quality nursing care. Under this is conforming to the standards of medication
administration and health therapeutics. Our training even at the first year of nursing just
shows how critical this responsibility is, since, every intervention we implement is liable
to us and is playing a vital role in the recuperation of our patients. These distracting factors
are no excuse. I guess the busyness in nursing is already entailed in the profession, thus,
in order to practice competence and safety, amid the shortcomings in the healthcare
facility, we are expected

in the management of resources and environment, like

organizing work load to facilitate client care and establishing mechanism to ensure proper
functioning of all resources. Indeed, words are not enough to express how important to
provide a safe and accurate medication and the practice of errorless medication
administration is never isolated in the concepts and theories. It is imperative to note that
effective learning regarding this matter is best reflected on the actions of the nurse in
practice.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Mahmood, A., Chaudhury H., & Valente, M. (2011). Nurses' perceptions of how physical
environment affects medication errors in acute care settings. Elsevier Inc.
Retrieved from: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/08971897.

Journal Reading Describing

the Role of Professional Registered
Nurses in Drug Administration
Submitted by:
Philip Gabriel G. Gimotea
Nursing 30 - NB

Submitted to:
Mrs. Florence H. Baluran, RN, MN

November 27, 2015