NHS-FPX4000 Applying Research Skills
Summary
Medical error is a major clinical concern in various health facilities and healthcare professionals. Such errors can result in adverse events and, in extreme cases, death. Professionals are aware that medical errors can occur anywhere and for various reasons. In most cases, medical errors can occur due to wrong patient identification, confusion of patient records, loss of patient information and inaccurate diagnosis. Medical errors are preventable issues that come with adverse effects. Medical experts have worked tiresomely to ensure medical errors are reduced and their extreme consequences mitigated. Digitization in the healthcare sector is aimed to reduce cases of medical errors by improving accuracy and accountability in practice. The electronic health system is put in place across the healthcare sector to ensure patient records are accurate, their diagnosis is accurate, and medical administering follows every detail in the records.
In my practice experience, I can acknowledge that electronic health records work best to ensure minimal medical errors cases. The patient information is entered into the system from the time they get admitted at the reception to the last activity they partake in the facility. The records ensure everyone accessing the patient has access to the records, and misinformation attracts an alert within the system. The selected medication for the patient is done electronically, and the pharmacist issues the right medicine and dosage to the attending nurse. Every health facility needs to strive to access this electronic health record system to eliminate the adverse effects of medical errors.
Identifying Academic Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles
I have reviewed summons and Library searches through the Capella University Library and accessed information relating to healthcare. Various databases, including ProQuest and PubMed, have been resourceful in retrieving relevant information and journal articles. I used keywords such as Medical Errors, Patient Safety and Electronic health records for peer-reviewed resources related to my research topic.
Assessing Credibility and Relevance of Information Sources
The credibility of the materials and information was assured by selecting peer-reviewed articles authored within the last five years. I confirmed that well-known authors published the selected authors and sources with vast knowledge and experience in healthcare matters. Moreover, the verification was done by ensuring the resources were related to medical errors and patient safety. I also researched how to be sure the information was factual and not just opinion.
NHS-FPX4000 Applying Research Skills
Annotated Bibliography
Ahmed, Z., Saada, M., Jones, A. M., & Al-Hamid, A. M. (2019). Medical errors: Healthcare professionals’ perspective at a tertiary hospital in Kuwait. PloS one, 14(5), e0217023. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0217023
Ahmed, Saada, Jones & Al-Hamid (2019) presents an article that explores a unique approach to the topic. The authors point out that medical error is significant in economic perspectives and contributes to adverse events. The authors also note that the issue is preventable and results in interactions whether these events harm the patient or not. Although the authors conducted a study based in Kuwait, the information they present is relevant and peer-reviewed. The study also used healthcare professionals as the study sample, which shows that the finding is reliable from individuals who have experienced the issue in their practice. The authors have various academic qualifications and professional experience, which gives their article more credibility and reliability. I choose to use their information because it is recent and points out issues that have affected patient safety in recent times.
Gildon, B. L., Condren, M., & Hughes, C. C. (2019). Impact of Electronic Health Record Systems on Prescribing Errors in Pediatric Clinics. Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), 7(2), 57. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare7020057
According to Gildon, Condren & Hughes (2019), medical errors are common in the pediatric population. The authors note that prescriptions through the electronic health record system are not devoid of errors. I selected this article because it explores a unique perspective of the use of the electronic health system. with this article, I can get a different opinion of the possible solution many people have believed to counter the medical errors. The fact that it is a peer-reviewed article makes it critical to explore the information and gain perspective.
Holmgren, A. J., Co, Z., Newmark, L., Danforth, M., Classen, D., & Bates, D. (2020). Assessing the safety of electronic health records: a national longitudinal study of medication-related decision support. BMJ quality & safety, 29(1), 52–59. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjqs- 2019-009609
Holmgren et al. (2020) present an article related to the topic, specifically electronic health records. According to Holmgren et al., electronic health records can improve the safety of patients through computerized physician order entry. The approach is complemented with decision support designed to alert providers and prevent possible adverse drug entry before it reaches the patient. The author’s credibility is confirmed through the peer-reviewed nature of their article. The authors’ qualifications also confirm their level of experience and professionalism in the field and how their findings are well informed. The article is also published in a reputable medical journal, which shows that the information is approved for publishing. Hence, the article can be used for academic purposes.
Rodziewicz, T. L., Houseman, B., & Hipskind, J. E. (2022). Medical Error Reduction and Prevention. In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing.
Rodziewicz, Houseman & Hipskind (2022) acknowledge that medical errors are a serious health issue and a leading cause of death in the United States. According to the article, the issue creates a challenge as it is difficult to uncover the consistent cause of medical errors and can result in a consistent and viable solution that reduces the chances of a recurrent event. The article is relevant for this research as it offers information about the topic and how it can be reduced. I also selected the article because it is peer-reviewed and accessible through a reliable database. The publishing company is also credible and published the article most recently, confirming that the
information can be reliable for a current issue.
Tubaishat A. (2019). The effect of electronic health records on patient safety: A qualitative exploratory study. Informatics for health & social care, 44(1), 79–91. https://doi.org/10.1080/17538157.2017.1398753
According to Tubaishat (2019), electronic health records are increasingly being used in healthcare and benefit patients and health services alike. The author designed the study to explore the effects of electronic health records on patient safety through the nurses’ perspective. The study concludes that professionals within the health sector have diverse opinions. Some support the electronic system, while others are reluctant to appreciate this idea. The reason for selecting this article for my research is because it gives diverse reasoning of professionals and can be used to gain insights into what professionals think about the topic. The article is also peer-reviewed and approved to be published in health and medical databases.
References
Ahmed, Z., Saada, M., Jones, A. M., & Al-Hamid, A. M. (2019). Medical errors: Healthcare professionals’ perspective at a tertiary hospital in Kuwait. PloS one, 14(5), e0217023. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0217023
Gildon, B. L., Condren, M., & Hughes, C. C. (2019). Impact of Electronic Health Record Systems on Prescribing Errors in Pediatric Clinics. Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), 7(2), 57. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare7020057
Holmgren, A. J., Co, Z., Newmark, L., Danforth, M., Classen, D., & Bates, D. (2020). Assessing the safety of electronic health records: a national longitudinal study of medication-related decision support. BMJ quality & safety, 29(1), 52–59. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjqs- 2019-009609
Rodziewicz, T. L., Houseman, B., & Hipskind, J. E. (2022). Medical Error Reduction and Prevention. In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing.
Tubaishat A. (2019). The effect of electronic health records on patient safety: A qualitative exploratory study. Informatics for health & social care, 44(1), 79–91. https://doi.org/10.1080/17538157.2017.1398753
