Assignment on Safety Issues in Nursing

Running head: SAFETY ISSUES IN NURSING
SAFETY ISSUES IN NURSING
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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SAFETY ISSUES IN NURSING
Introduction
Every nurses working in the clinical setting must possess adequate skill set and the key
competencies required for achieving quality outcome. They must ensure patient safety by
delivering high quality and enhanced care that will lead to an effective outcome and increase the
heath outcome of the patients (Fukada, 2018). They must practice implementing their skill,
expertise, experience and knowledge and practice by adhering to the practice guidelines and
standards for achieving quality outcome. NMBA standards for practice provides such guidelines
and standards which, when followed will lead to an improved outcome. Nurses must think
critically and practice following evidence based guidelines and standards in all care settings and
in all practice area, including medicine ward, paediatric ward, surgical ward, intention care unit,
emergency department etc. They must develop and implement appropriate strategies addressing
the health concern of the patients that will improve the health outcome of the patients and also
increase their satisfaction. Medication error is one of the common areas of concern that hinders
patient’s safety and quality of care (Wahr & Merry, 2017). Thus, this paper will focus on
Medication error and the strategies to mitigate the incidence of medication error from the
perspective of medical surgical nurse.
Discussion
In Australia, medication errors, which also exist in other nations, are a concern. Previous
figures suggest that 2% to 3% of all hospital visits are related to medicine. It means that a total of
230,000 people in this nation seek drugs per year, an additional $1.2 billion a year whether too
much, too little, whether due to wrong medicine. Medication errors may arise for a variety of
causes, involving individuals and nurses and other factors influencing how medicines are

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SAFETY ISSUES IN NURSING
prepared, delivered or administered. Improving the safety of medicines is a crucial field of
concern for the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality of Health Care, which is
coordinating today's unveiling of the WHO Regional Strategy with the Australian Government's
Department of Health (Safetyandquality.gov.au, 2020). Thus, the NMBA standards for practice
on medication safety states that Enrolled nurses are qualified to prescribe medications because
they have obtained professional education at any point in their profession. The nurses may
administer medications unless they have a notation on their registration that indicates that they
still have not completed or achieved their medical education (Nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au,
2020).
The key cause of a high rate of morbidity and mortality are medication errors, however
they remain a misleading and underestimated concept. In health care, the Institute of Medicine
described an error as the failure of the expected action to be performed as intended (error of
execution) or the use of the wrong strategy to accomplish the aim (error of planning). Medication
Errors may occur at every point in the care process, whenever a drug is administered to the
patient, including ordering, recording, dispensing, prescribing and monitoring (Boostani et al.,
2019). The most common form of treatment used in healthcare services is medicines which
contribute to major health enhancements when properly used. Nevertheless, medicinal usage
may often be correlated with harm, and the widespread use of medications implies that more
errors and harmful effects are likely to occur than for any healthcare factors. While severe harm
levels are low, errors impact human safety and healthcare costs (Safetyandquality.gov.au, 2020).
Furthermore, medication errors can lead to adverse drug reactions and worsen the situation.
Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are complications induced by taking drugs. ADRs may arise
after a single dosage or repeated administration of a medication or may result from a mixture of