Factors contributing to medication error

Running head: REFLECTION
Reflection
Name of the student:
Name of the University:
Author’s note

1REFLECTION
Factors contributing to medication error:
During my first medical/surgical experience, I made a medication error. I was assigned
the duty to take care of a 54 year old patient post surgery and he had received opioids via
epidural catheter. Upon return to the ward, the patient was found to have a very low respiratory
rate. According to physician’s order, I had to give IV dose of Narcan to maintain vital signs of
patient. After I had injected medication in the port in a hurry, I realized that I had injected entire
1 ml vial whereas as the desired label was 1 mg per ml. In horror, the immediate action that I
took was to immediately inform this to the senior nurse and the physician. Hence, in my case, the
factors that contributed to the medication error included lack of education and experience in
medication administration and environmental factors like distractions, rush and fatigue during
medication preparation for patient. Dumo (2012) gives the evidence that amount of nursing
education and years of experience are factors that are directly linked to medication errors.
Feelings during the situation:
When engaged in any incidence of medication errors, I would feel very terrified because
medication errors might increase health risk for patient. It may put them to unnecessary trauma
and even lead to death of patient. Hence, I would have developed feeling of guilt and low mood
because of this mistake during nursing practice. I will also have low confidence and feelings of
poor self-esteem by being involved in medication error.
Role and responsibility during medication administration
Medication errors mostly occur during the time medication preparation or during
administration of medication. The key responsibility and responsibility of a nurse during
medication administration include maintaining competence and safety during medication

2REFLECTION
administration related task (College of Nurses of Ontario, 2019). To demonstrate competence
during medication administration, it will be necessary to ensure appropriateness of medication
practice by proper assessment of client and considering the medication and the environment.
Another responsibility is to ensure that nurse do not engage in any practice which is outside their
limit or scope of practice. In addition, to promote safety culture during medication administration
practice, the key responsibilities for nurse includes fulfilling the five rights of medication
administration including right patient, right drug, right dose, right time and right route (Cloete,
2015). Efficiently completing these five steps is likely to ensure that right patient is receiving the
drug and ensure that nurse have right understanding regarding the rationale for the drug. Other
the role and responsibility in relation to drug safety includes collaborating with patient, reducing
harm to patient from dosage error or misuse of medication and ensuring proper storage, dosage
and disposal of drug (College of Nurses of Ontario, 2019).
Physical consequences of a medication error for the patient:
The occurrence of a medication error is associated with many adverse physical
consequences for the patient. It can lead to severe physical injury for patients such as changes in
vital signs, increase in clinical deterioration of symptoms, physical pain and deteriorating health
status. Because of this effect of medication error on health status, the patients are likely to be
involved in longer hospital stay (Choi et al., 2016). A study by Van Cott (2018) gives the
evidence that patient may also sustain ambulatory dysfunction, acute abnormalities and even
death due to medication errors. Hence, it can be concluded medication error had direct influence
on patient and it is associated with patient harm and adverse physical health consequences for
patient.