Enhancing Quality and Safety

• Length of submission: 3–5 pages, plus title and reference pages.
• Number of references: Cite a minimum of 4 sources of scholarly or professional evidence that support your findings and considerations. Resources should be no more than 5 years old.
• APA formatting: References and citations are formatted according to current APA style.

 

For this assessment, you will develop a 3-5 page paper that examines a safety quality issue pertaining to medication administration in a health care setting. You will analyze the issue and examine potential evidence-based and best-practice solutions from the literature as well as the role of nurses and other stakeholders in addressing the issue.

Health care organizations and professionals strive to create safe environments for patients however, due to the complexity of the health care system, maintaining safety can be a challenge. Since nurses comprise the largest group of health care professionals, a great deal of responsibility falls in the hands of practicing nurses. Quality improvement (QI) measures and safety improvement plans are effective interventions to reduce medical errors and sentinel events such as medication errors, falls, infections, and deaths. A 2000 Institute of Medicine (IOM) report indicated that almost one million people are harmed annually in the United States, (Kohn et al., 2000) and 210,000–440,000 die as a result of medical errors (Allen, 2013).

The role of the baccalaureate nurse includes identifying and explaining specific patient risk factors, incorporating evidence-based solutions to improving patient safety and coordinating care. A solid foundation of knowledge and understanding of safety organizations such as Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN), the Institute of Medicine (IOM), and The Joint Commission and its National Patient Safety Goals (NPSGs) program is vital to practicing nurses with regard to providing and promoting safe and effective patient care.

You are encouraged to complete the Identifying Safety Risks and Solutions activity. This activity offers an opportunity to review a case study and practice identifying safety risks and possible solutions. We have found that learners who complete course activities and review resources are more successful with first submissions. Completing course activities is also a way to demonstrate course engagement.

 

CRITERIA

 

Explain factors leading to a specific patient-safety risk focusing on medication administration.

 

Explains factors leading to a specific patient-safety risk focusing on medication administration. Makes reference to specific data, evidence, or standards illustrate the safety risk.

 

 

Explain evidence-based and best-practice solutions to improve patient safety focusing on medication administration and reducing costs.

 

evidence-based and best-practice solutions to improve patient safety focusing on medication administration and reducing costs.

Explains evidence-based and best practice solutions to improve patient safety focusing on medication administration and reducing costs. Makes explicit reference to scholarly or professional resources to support explanation.

 

 

Explain how nurses can help coordinate care to increase patient safety with medication administration and reduce costs.

 

Explains how nurses can help coordinate care to increase patient safety with medication administration and reduce costs, providing specific examples related to a patient safety risk.