Blog #3
In a continuing effort to decrease patient errors and make the nursing field more technologically efficient, the nursing profession has come a long way. Currently there are electronic scan devices used to verify patient’s accuracy. When a patient is admitted to the hospital, they are assigned a specific medical record number that is precise for that admission; a sort of bar code. No other patient has that exact number. Technology has linked all patient related information, for that particular admission; including name, age, date of birth, and allergies by that number. Additionally, physician orders, medications, adverse reactions, contraindications, blood types, test, and, consultations are also linked. When the bedside nurse is ready to administer a certain medication, request test, draw blood, she simply takes the hand held scanner and scans the patient’s arm band. This verifies that one has the correct patient most importantly; and that the action about to be performed was indeed ordered for that particular patient. Identifies drug inter-actions, dosage, and correctly charges the patient’s account. Basically, it verifies the “Five R’s”; right patient, right drug, right dose, right route, and right time. If it is not the correct patient, an alarm goes off.
This procedure has significantly decreased the number of medication errors, decreased omissions, improves charting accuracy, and as an added benefit, it manages inventory, and correctly charges patient accounts. It has decreased the need for two nurses to verify medications.
Just another way technology is changing the face of nursing for the betterment of the patient and the profession.
Works Cited
nursing.advanceweb.com
albany.bizjournals.com
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Ramona,
ReplyDeleteAt the hospital I work in we have some of the system you describe but it, unfortunately, doesn't work to the degree you describe. The only time currently that we scan the patients arm band is for medication administration. It would be great if the system was completely linked and the band could be scanned prior to lab draws and tests also. Maybe in the future. This does all hinge on the fact that the patient is wearing the correct arm band.
Barb
We are using scanners for lab draws and meds, but because we just recently switched there are a lot of bugs. I am in an NICU and every single med given has to be verified so this technology is not reducing the work load in that sense. Something that is nice is that our MARs are all computerized and so you can easily see what is going to be due and if there is anything overdue. Something else that is really nice is that we are directly linked to the pharmacy so if we have to change a time on the MAR we send message (like an instant message) and the pharmacy is easily able to fix our MARs for us. We are also going to be paperless with physican orders which should eliminate more errors that occur with transcription of orders.
ReplyDeleteLaurie
Ramona,
ReplyDeleteThat technology is great, the problem is we get so used to doing things a certain way and then forget basic skills, when there are technical problems it wreaks havoc and causes great stress to the staff. I have mixed feelings about so many new technologies in nursing, I think we end up taking care of more patients but lose the quality and sense of care.
Crystil