Human factor of medication errors

Greater than 40 percent of the medication errors that occur in U.S. healthcare facilities are linked to the “human factor,” Mary Bylone, nursing administrator at AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center in Pomona, NJ told Advance for Nurses magazine.

“Issues surrounding lack of knowledge, deviation from policy, miscalculation of dosage or rate, drug preparation error, transcription error, fatigue and computer entry errors are all examples involving the human factor of medication administration,” she said.

“It’s easy to blame these mistakes on equipment, packaging and flawed systems. It’s been hard, on the other hand, to accept that we are at the root of many of the preventable incidents.”

Healthcare facilities are making a greater effort today to eliminate human errors, in an effort to comply with JCAHO regulations and improve patient safety. But Bylone believes nurses and other healthcare professionals must make more of an effort to prevent errors. “The next time you make your way to the bedside with medication to administer, be sure to give it safely – and make sure your human factor is up to date and safe,” she said.