Nurses’ Performance RegardingAdministration of High Alert Medication in Coronary Care Unit

Abstract

Summary H igh-alertmedicationsaredefinedasmedicationsthatarethemostlikelytocausesignificantpatientharm,evenwhenusedcorrectly.Thesemedicationsaremorelikelytobeassociatedwithharmduetoissuessuchasnarrowtherapeuticranges(increasingthepotentialforaprescribingerror),andalsocausemoresignificantharmwhenanerrordoesoccur because of thesignificantnatureofthepotentialadverseeffectssuchasbleedingorhypoglycemia.Manyofthesemedicationsarealsomorelikelytobeassociatedwithdosingerrors,duetoissuessuchastheneedtofrequentlycalculated usingbasedonweight.Thein statute ofsafemedicationpracticesidentifiedthenumberofdrugcategoriesandspecificmedicationsidentifiedashighalertvarieswiththeagencyororganization.Allrelevantorganizationsidentifyfourspecifichighalertdrugclasses'anticoagulants,sedatives,insulin,andopioidbecausethey'refrequentlylinkedtopotentiallyharmfuloutcomes(Institute of Safe Practice Medication, 2014) Cardiacnursesareresponsibleforpreparingandadministeringpotentdrugsthataffectsthepatientscardiovascularfunctions,mostofthisdrugarehighalertmedications.Eachnurseshouldbeawareofindication,action,contraindication,adverseeffectsandinteractionsofdrug.Errorsinvolvinghigh-alertmedicationscancausesignificantpatientharm.Exposuretohigh-alertmedicationsonadailybasiscanleadtocomplacency,andthuseffectivestrategiesforsafelyusinghigh-alertmedicationsarerequired.Alistofhigh-alertmedicationsisrequiredbyTheJointCommissionforeachinsituationalongwitheffectiverisk-reductionstrategiestomitigatepossibleerrors(Nair,2011). Aimofthestudy: Thisstudyaimedtoassessnurses’performanceregardingadministrationofhighalertmedicationincoronarycareunit.