Logo image
Reducing barcode medication overrides: process mapping ID band placement
Dissertation   Open access

Reducing barcode medication overrides: process mapping ID band placement

Loretta A. Bassion
Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.), Drexel University
Sep 2016
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/etd-6963
pdf
Bassion_Loretta_20161.23 MBDownloadView

Abstract

Medication Systems, Hospital Nursing Process Process Assessment (Health Care) Tertiary Care Centers Nursing
Background: Barcode Medication Administration (BCMA) processes rely on accurate patient identification band (IDB) placement. An inaccurate or missing patient IDB can lead to BCMA procedure overrides, avoidable events that increase the likelihood of errors. Purpose: To reduce the incidence of BCMA patient IDB scans that lead to procedure overrides resulting from missing or incorrectly applied patient IDB placement. Methods: This pilot quality improvement project focused on six nursing units in a 176-bed community hospital. The doctoral student led an interdisciplinary team of expert informants in process mapping activities that identified gaps in patient admission IDB placement processes. Process mapping was supported by the Plan, Do, Check, Act (PDCA) framework. The group developed procedural recommendations to ensure correct IDB placement. Implementation of recommended changes and data from weekly electronic managerial reports was compared pre and post-interventions to measure frequencies of BCMA override processes related to patient IDB issues. Evaluation: Weekly electronic managerial reports for each of the six nursing units compared BCMA patient ID override frequencies before and after any corrected gaps over one month. Clinical Implications: This quality improvement project provided 1) identification of IDB process gaps and 2) recommendations for remediating steps in IDB processes developed by interdisciplinary expert informants who participated in IDB placement. Improving IDB placement accuracy helped to reduce overall BCMA system patient ID overrides, thereby reducing medication use system risk.

Metrics

100 File views/ downloads
56 Record Views

Details

Logo image