Category 1: Causes and Risk Factors for Medication Errors

Resource 1:

Coelho, F., Furtado, L., Mendonça, N., Soares, H., Duarte, H., Costeira, C., Santos, C., & Pereira Sousa, J. (2024). Predisposing factors to medication errors by nurses and prevention strategies: A scoping review of recent literature. Nursing Reports, 14(3), 1553–1569. https://doi.org/10.3390/nursrep14030117

This scoping review synthesizes recent literature on medication errors by nurses and identifies key predisposing factors. These factors include organizational, system-related, personal, and procedural causes of medication errors. The resource outlines strategies to mitigate errors, such as educational interventions, verification methods, organizational changes, and the promotion of error reporting.

The article equips nurses with insights into the various factors contributing to medication errors, particularly focusing on their root causes within the healthcare system. By understanding these predisposing factors, nurses can better identify areas for improvement within their practice and work environments. The resource also provides evidence-based strategies that nurses can implement to reduce errors, such as adopting safety protocols, enhancing communication, and fostering a culture of continuous education.

Nurses can use this resource as a reference for developing workplace protocols and training programs aimed at improving medication safety. It is particularly useful for leadership teams in healthcare settings when creating systemic changes to reduce medication errors. Nurses should access it during training sessions, workshops, or when assessing ongoing safety programs within their departments.

Resource 2:

Savva, G., Papastavrou, E., Charalambous, A., Vryonides, S., & Merkouris, A. (2022). Exploring nurses’ perceptions of medication error risk factors: Findings from a sequential qualitative study. Global Qualitative Nursing Research, 9(9). https://doi.org/10.1177/23333936221094857

This study explores nurses’ perceptions of factors contributing to medication errors in hospital settings, identifying critical risk factors such as staffing issues, system failures, interruptions, and patient acuity. The resource highlights the importance of considering the environmental and organizational context when addressing medication error risks.

This resource provides valuable insights into the everyday challenges that nurses face in the administration of medication. By understanding the factors perceived by nurses, healthcare leaders can tailor interventions to address these risks more effectively. For example, addressing staffing shortages and creating systems to minimize interruptions can significantly reduce medication error rates.

 Nurses can use this resource when discussing potential medication safety improvements during team meetings or in-service training. It is particularly useful for understanding the contextual and environmental factors influencing medication errors, making it a helpful tool for reflective practice and problem-solving within healthcare teams.

Resource 3:

Schroers, G., Ross, J. G., & Moriarty, H. (2021). Nurses’ perceived causes of medication administration errors: A qualitative systematic review. The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety, 47(1), 38–53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcjq.2020.09.010

This qualitative systematic review synthesizes research on nurses’ perceptions of the causes of medication administration errors. It categorizes these causes into knowledge-based, personal, and contextual factors, including workload, fatigue, interruptions, and insufficient medication knowledge. The review emphasizes the need for multifactorial interventions to address these issues.

The resource helps nurses recognize that medication errors are often multifactorial, stemming from a combination of personal, knowledge, and contextual factors. By understanding these causes, nurses can identify specific areas where they need additional support, such as training on medication knowledge or strategies to manage workload and interruptions.

This resource is useful when designing interventions for reducing medication errors, especially when assessing the factors contributing to errors in specific healthcare settings. Nurses can use this information to advocate for systemic changes or to guide personal reflection on their medication administration practices during continuous professional development or post-incident reviews.

Resource 4:

Suzuki, R., Uchiya, T., Nakamura, A., Okubo, N., Sakai, T., Takahashi, M., Kaneko, M., Aiba, I., & Ohtsu, F. (2022). Analysis of factors contributing to medication errors during self-management of medication in the rehabilitation ward: A case control study. BMC Health Services Research, 22, 292. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-022-07679-y

This case-control study explores factors contributing to medication errors during self-management in a rehabilitation ward. The study identifies factors such as the number of medications, frequency of doses, and medication complexity, which increase the likelihood of medication errors during self-administration, particularly in elderly patients.

This resource is particularly valuable for nurses working in rehabilitation or long-term care settings, as it provides concrete evidence of the challenges faced by patients managing their own medications. Nurses can use this data to simplify medication regimens, educate patients more effectively, and design strategies to support safer self-medication practices.

Nurses can use this resource when designing care plans for patients in rehabilitation wards or similar settings. It can also be applied during patient education sessions or when reviewing medication regimens for elderly patients to reduce the risk of medication errors. This study can be used by nurses to advocate for simplified medication regimens for patients who manage their own medication.