A Study on Medication Errors and related factors in Nurses

• Main Authors: Chen-Nan Chang, 張慶南
• Other Authors: 周傳姜
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2008
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/19968986188415832365

碩士 === 長榮大學 === 護理學研究所 === 96 === The purpose of this study was to investigate the current status of medication errors caused by clinical nurses and correlative reasons. A cross-sectional, correctional coefficient design was used. Convenient sampling was employed to recruit 450 clinical nurses from three regional teaching hospitals in Southern Taiwan. The response rate is 90.9%. Data were filed in code and descriptive statistic analysis was conducted by applying SPSS for Windows 10.0 The research result shows: 99.3% of the research samples were female; more than half (66%) graduated from junior nursing college; 46.5% with nurse laddrer I ( N1) ; 69.3% of the wards accepted patients from different departments. The first five types of medication errors found by self or by others within half year were: (1) medication time incompatible with medical order; (2) medicine missed; (3) medication speed too fast or too slow; (4) take medicine by self without medical order; and (5) medication method incompatible with medical order. In regard to medication errors caused by nurses, the first five reasons of medication errors found by self or by others within half year were: (1) nurses feel tired and physical strength exhausted; (2) the handwritten medical order of physician is scratchy and not easy to read; (3) no double check for medical order before medication; (4) medication was interrupted by other affairs and caused distraction and (5) no evaluation on patients or their family members’ understanding about medicine side effect before medication . In the aspect of correlative reasons: 1. Nurse’s with working 61-70 hours (include overtime) weekly tends to cause "medication time incompatible with medical order", "nurse feel tired and exhausted" as well as "physician handwriting scratchy and not easy to read", "interrupted by other affairs during work and cause distraction". 2. Study as per department: oncology ward is more inclined to cause "medication time incompatible with medical order" and "physician handwritten medical order is scratchy and not easy to read"; Maternity ward room tends to cause "no double check for medical order before medication"; Hospice ward tends to cause "interrupted by other affairs and cause distraction during medication". 3. Wards lodged by patients from different departments tend to cause "physician handwritten medical order is scratchy and not easy to read" and "no double check for medical order before medication". 4. New staff with training time less than one month are significantly related to the medication error of “medication time incompatible with medical order” . This research result provides a reference for improving nurse medication supervision and medication system.