Applying airline safety practices to medication administration.

Medication administration errors (MAE) continue as major problems for health care institutions, nurses, and patients, however, MAEs are often the result of system failures leading to patient injury, increased hospital costs, and blaming.

Abstract

Medication administration errors (MAE) continue as major problems for health care institutions, nurses, and patients. However, MAEs are often the result of system failures leading to patient injury, increased hospital costs, and blaming. Costs include those related to increased hospital length of stay and legal expenses. Contributing factors include distractions, lack of focus, poor communication, and failure to follow standard protocols during medication administration.