Effect of Medication Safety Guidelines on Prevention of Medication Errors among Nurses in the Intensive Care Unit

Abstract

Medications are of a great benefit to patient's lives for relieving pain or curing illness. Medications may be very dangerous if improperly used, moreover medication safety is one of the highest priorities of nursing practice, a matter of considerable concern for all health team members. Medication errors produce a variety of problems for patients ranging from minor discomfort to substantial morbidity that may prolong hospitalization or lead to death and risk of litigation Rosen, Galili, Kott, Goodman & Freedman, (2018). Unsafe medication practices and medication errors are a leading cause of injury and avoidable harm in health care systems across the world. Globally, the cost associated with medication errors has been estimated at $42 billion USD annually. Errors can occur at different stages of the medication use process. Medication errors occur when weak medication systems and/or human factors such as fatigue, poor environmental conditions or staff shortages affect prescribing, transcribing, dispensing, administration and monitoring practices, which can then result in severe harm, disability and even death Thomas et al. (2019). Aim of the study: This study aimed to assess the effect of medication safety guidelines on prevention/ decreasing the medication errors frequency rate among the nurses in the intensive care unit. Through the following: 1. Assessing the nurses' level of knowledge regarding medication safety overview and medication safety guidelines’ components. 2. Assessing the nurses' level of practice pre application of the training program regarding medication safety guidelines’ components. 3. Assessing types and frequency rate of medication errors in the ICU; pre application of medication safety guidelines’ components.