Update with Complete Solution
Part A
The audience being addressed for the policy change is the Emergency Dept RNs and
management. Unlike other settings outside of the Emergency Department, bar code medication
administration is upheld to high standards yet seems to fall through the cracks in the ED. Many
times, the fault is placed on the constant chaos and the increased need for verbal orders given by
the physicians. Medication administration is part of a nurse's daily workflow and is even more
important during emergent situations. Any errors during medication administration could be fatal
to patients. Moreover, implementing a new policy for barcode medication administration will
foster a safer culture and decrease medication errors.
The policy fosters a safer culture for nurses and patients. Mistakes could be made easily
during high-intensity situations due to the failure to double-check medication labels, routes,
doses, etc. The purpose of the policy would be to create hard stops when comparing physician
orders with medications on hand, which eliminates any possible errors. An example of a possible
scenario is "look-alike/sound-alike" medications the Joint Commission endorses, which would
be corrected by the new policy. Implementing this policy could provide both effective and safe
patient care.
Overall, everyone could benefit from the proposed policy. Patients would be guaranteed
safe care, and Registered Nurse's work could be more effective without causing any serious
injury to patients. Any serious errors that lead to fatality are not only a liability to the hospital but
could also cause a nurse to lose their nursing license, as many times, these cases are reported to
the state Board of Nursing. This could be considered as an extra layer of security to minimize the
risk of any possible fatal outcomes and provide protection for the nurse's license. Furthermore, it