Articulate a problem solving process regarding a practice issue in Essay

Articulate a problem solving process regarding a practice issue in nursing. In addition you will discuss evidence and its relati - Essay Example In most cases, medication errors are arrested before they get to the patient, or they may reach the patients and cause no harm, or cause treatable as well as permanent harm requiring prolonged hospitalization of the patient. Although there are preventive measures that can be put in place to deter occurrence of these medication errors, they are bound to happen from time to time, and it is expedient for medical practitioners to have necessary skill and knowhow regarding solution to such problems (Wilkinson & Treas, 2011). The reason for taking preventive or curative measures when it comes to nurses’ medication errors are governed by the professional ethics regarding nursing practice. Safety for hospitalized patients and response to or solution of emerging practice errors (such as those of medication) is part of a patient’s rights and should be the topmost priority (professionally) of health practitioners (Flynn & Barker et al., 2002). Problem description Most of the commo n medication errors arise from insufficient skills of the nurses in administering dosages. One particular medication error occurs in the administration of intravenous medication in the hospitals. Evidence of factors associated with errors in administration of intravenous medication or the severity of the errors is limited, but they do have a notably high frequency of incidence in medical institutions (Wilkinson & Treas, 2011). Intravenous medications are very complex and require many steps in preparing them, administering them, and monitoring the progress of patients under intravenous medication. These processes require precision and particular risks are posed by errors in medication (Cohen, 2007). The medication errors in intravenous medication administration occur in terms of failures in procedures or intravenous clinical errors (Flynn & Liang et al., 2012). Procedural failure includes lack of attention to record administration of medication on a medication chart, administering IV medication at the wrong time, or failing to read the label on medication. Failure by the nurse to wash hands prior to preparing the injection (breaching aseptic techniques), storing intravenous medication temporarily in unsecure environments, or failing to check identification of the patient or blood/pulse pressure prior to dose administration constitute procedural failure (Wilkinson & Treas, 2011). QNSE Competencies A nurse may also fail to check the level of blood sugar before administering insulin or skipping of the procedure of signing register of dangerous drugs by two nurses as required. Clinical errors (intravenous) may be occasioned by incorrect rate of intravenous, which may be faster or slower than recommended, incorrect mixture by using the wrong solvent, using a different volume of solvent in preparation of intravenous medication than what is recommended, as well as incompatibility of drugs by combining drugs that are not compatible through the same intravenous infusion . There may also be errors in general programming of the