Study examines nursing error frequency

[nursinghumor]

Tuesday 23rd November, 2004: Study examines nursing error frequency:"A study of work errors by 393 registered nurses released Monday shows 30 percent were aware of making at least one error in a 28-day period. A further 33 percent reported a near-error in the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing study, in which nurses kept a detailed journal of errors and near-errors."
http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/?sid=a89ae4c26e80a11c
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Does this really come as a surprise to anyone?

Andrew Lopez, RN
http://www.nursefriendly.com

[cassioo]

Does this really come as a surprise to anyone?

I think that's a high precent. Last med error I had was a pharmacy error where they sent the powder for IVPB and not a partial fill and the pyxis wouldn't let us get a bag out to mix ourself and pharmacy aruged with me on the phone that I had to write an order for the partial fill...finally go it through to them they had to mix it or let me get the bag to mix it as I can't hang a vial of powder.
I knowingly haven't given the wrong med for at least 10 years. I walked in a room (worked peds) and said Mrs Smith I have Susies medication the lady says ok so I'm giving the little girl the medication po in a syringe and I say Dr A will be in shortly and she says when will Dr B come in? Then I checked and this wasn't Smith it was Stone but she had answered yes...sometimes babies didn't have armbands on because they'd come off and we moved patients around to put like DX together and I went by room number. I told her doc and he said oh it might do her some good. It was antibiotic and the little girl became a frequent flier until she died when she was 3.

[Randy, RN]

Yes, I think this is probable, esp. counting late meds as mistakes.....

"Approximately 33 percent of actual medication errors were because of late administration of drugs to patients, which in some cases was due to inadequate numbers of nurses on duty, the study said."

[cassioo]

Lucky me we give Motrin, senokot and prn pain meds for the majority of our meds so we don't have as much chance for late meds on post partum as a M/S floor. But having worked surgical and peds before I can see late meds especially with multiple patients with multiple meds