Evaluating the Impact of Drug Round Tabards on Interruptions and Nursing Practices - Essay Sample

Report Findings

First, the Verweij research portrays interruptions that lead to Medication Administration Errors (MAE). The Verweij study in the third period shows a decrease of 75% in interruptions in MAEs, and Drug Round Tabard showed a 66% decrease (Verweij, 2014). Tabards create an uncomfortable feeling among family, friends. They are a distraction to the nurses' performance; thus, patients and associates will opt to keep quiet rather than ask questions in such a time. Family and friends comment that the nurses should not disturb the patients by wearing Tabards (Verweij, 2014). Call lights and television are other hindrances- care workers tend to have more interruption in healthcare services than patients and family with these calls. There is no record of a patient or family member, causing interruption, but most care workers are gears to interruptions (Verweij, 2014).

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Second, various issues are arising from the nurse's perception of wearing a vest. Although the Tabard proved reduced interruptions, the fluorescent color priority is a distraction to clients. Such interruption is questionable on the probability of medication error (Cheragi et al., 2013). The nursing perception towards Tabard, the emotion created, and attitude is an alarming issue. A clear example is a comment from a nurse concerning Tabards “I definitely won't wear the Tabard. It is ridiculous! I second any intervention and improvement, but in this tabard, I stand just like an idiot". Also, there is a health issue; nurses have a perception that everyone wearing the Tabard is contaminating it through sweat and spilled dirt. Disposable Tabards are the preferred To resolve this issue,(Verweij, 2014). Else, the Tabards can be made personal where nurses can wash and maintain them. A Tabard catalog can be provided to nurses for color selection and design.

Thirdly, the limitations are that the study concentrates on the interruptions as the only cause of MAEs. In essence, interruption is not the just cause of MAEs; neither are verbal and nonverbal interruptions. The research also focuses on how Tabards minimize the MAEs, but the Verweij study is inconsiderate of the Five Rights of nursing practice (Cheragi et al., 2013). In this case, the MAEs' procedures include the absence of identification, inappropriate administration, and omitting the standard procedures in reporting MAEs (Cheragi et al., 2013). During administration, individual MAEs did not decrease at all. These persisting MAEs include administering the wrong medication, the wrong routine of administration, and incorrect medicines indicators. Uncertainty in dosage, drug abbreviation, and infusion caused the MAEs to persist. Following this, the crucial cause of errors is the lack of pharmaceutical skills. Common mistakes include the confusion of the drugs labelled Toradol with Tramadol due to insufficient knowledge.

Medical Implications

First, the Tabards shows a significant decrease in interruptions with 75% and a 66% reduction in MAEs. The linear regression analysis is 10.4%, and from this, it is evident that the verbal interruptions are a primary interruption that has to be figured out in MAEs (Verweij, 2014). More factors of verbal and nonverbal interruptions contribute to MAEs than those contributing to the Drug Rounds Tabard, making the change in decrease rates. It is possible to decrease the verbal disruption; however, call lights, telephone calls, patient or family concerns are factors to consider during the minimization process (Cheragi et al., 2013). High technology plays a role in minimizing the MAEs where hospitals apply scanning methods. Scanning is only done if the condition of the patient is warranted. Health staff has to refer to computers for the count of narcotics or controlled substances regarding the patient. In my working hospital, competency, accountability, and responsibility are positively affected by the MAEs' causing factors (Verweij, 2014). Therefore, any care worker making such risks or interruption mistakes is questioned and, if found guilty, unprofessional, unethical, or intentional, is disciplined or even work contract termination. The expulsion is terrifying and keeps the nurses in a keen environment to avoid errors (Verweij, 2014). Nurses working in such tension do not concentrate on giving quality performance but instead focuses on error omission.

Second, in my working department (ER), a continuous assessment of the clients is crucial. In every medication, questions are made first. For example, what is the patient's allergy? What has brought them to the ER? And from these questions, a constant communication basis is made, phone calls and call lights are inevitable in my department, and the nurses have to attend to these calls; interruption is a culture (Klassen et al., 2017). Technicians call to infer to the ER doctors and nurses concerning patients, and since this is part of work, these calls become a bearable interruption. Nurses have to multitask; other patients require special attention during another client's medication session (Verweij, 2014). Nurse's checks and verification must be included in the care services for prompt decision making and response to critical performance and flexibility (Klassen et al., 2017. The nurse has to be given name tags for easier identification by patients and family members with their role and work department.

Lastly, the study proves a reduction of MAE with various processes. There are indeed emerging issues from the Tabards. It is questionable about the level of training and the errors that continue to shaft the visiting hours (Klassen et al., 2017. Research is done at the onset of low bed equity, which is not discussed in the Verweij report. Such an omission implies that all other factors may be considered for change, but the omitted part remains a drawback to the nursing care implementation.

Reference

Cheragi, M. A., Manoocheri, H., Mohammadnejad, E., & Ehsani, S. R. (2013). Types and causes of medication errors from nurse's viewpoint. Iranian journal of nursing and midwifery research, 18(3), 228.

Klassen, A., Miller, A., Anderson, N., Shen, J., Schiariti, V., & O'Donnell, M. (2017). Performance measurement and improvement frameworks in health, education and social services systems: a systematic review. International Journal for Quality in Health Care, 22(1), 44-69.

Verweij, L. (2014). Quiet please! Drug round tabards: are they effective and accepted? A mixed method study. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 46(5), 340-348.