Not necessarily. While registered nurses are statistically more likely to administer the wrong medication to a patient, they also catch more medication errors before they happen than any other staff members.
According to a recent study in the Journal of Nursing Scholarship, each patient in every US hospital will suffer an average of one medication error per day—a rate that causes over 7,000 in-patient deaths every year. Researchers discovered that when nurses took an active role in the medication process, they were more likely to catch and prevent errors before these mistakes could harm the patient.
The most effective preventative measures nurses used included:
- Shift preparation, such as comparing the medication administration record and patient record before starting work
- Critical thinking, such as questioning why each medication was ordered
- Authoritative safety measures, such as asking doctors to rewrite orders if they were unclear
- Education for patients and their families on the patient’s medication regimen
The study found that these nursing interventions caused the medication error rate to drop by an average of 19 cases per 100 actions. In addition, researchers found that nurses who were given active support by the hospital environment were more likely to catch the mistakes. The quality of care was highest in settings where nurses and doctors worked as a team, had the ability to make decisions for their unit, attended continuing education courses, and had nurse administrators who took nurses’ concerns seriously.
No matter who was responsible for your medication mistake at Jewish hospital in KY, we can help you get compensation for your suffering. Call the Louisville medical malpractice attorneys at Gray and White today at (800) 634-8767 to begin your FREE legal consultation.