NRCI National Research Corp. (MM)

NRC+Picker recently observed National Patient Safety Week as an opportunity to focus on the need for safe medication administration. A pioneer in promoting patient-centered care, NRC+Picker has embraced the patient safety movement as a crucial step in improving the patient experience. The patient safety movement is striving to develop a culture whereby each individual, those receiving and those delivering care, are preoccupied with safety. One of the most important areas of patient safety is the ability of those who provide care to safely administer medication. The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) has outlined core characteristics of a safe medication system that all health care settings can apply to address the most important areas for patient safety. Patients have the right to information about their health and plan of care, but that doesn�t always happen. Preliminary H-CAHPS� survey results from a study conducted by NRC+Picker of 335 clients and over 300,000 patients show approximately one in four (25%) patients state that they �Never� received understandable information regarding side effects of newly prescribed medications while hospitalized. In addition, in National Research Corporation�s annual study of 200,000 households, 24% of survey respondents in 2006 reported that hospital staff did not always ask if they were allergic to any medication before providing treatment of any kind. The patient�s lack of knowledge regarding their medications and potential adverse effects can cause complications ranging from patient inconvenience to incapacitation, all of which are potentially preventable. In their own right, patients can play a vital role in preventing medication errors when they have been effectively educated about their medications. A patient�s understanding of their medications does not always guarantee they will follow that health advice, but hospitals must take steps to provide them with the tools of knowledge to make their own decisions. So what can hospitals do? The ISMP created patient-friendly instructions which health care providers can convey to patients. Some examples are that patients should always ask questions, both about their current medication and any new prescriptions. Repeating their understanding of the instructions back to their doctor/nurse pharmacist to be sure there is no confusion. They should take notes and bring a family member to help translate directions, especially if they are not in your primary language. Another vital characteristic of the ISMP�s safe medication system is that health care practitioners are supported in detecting and reporting errors. Interdisciplinary teams are encouraged to regularly analyze errors to best support safe practitioner performances. The implementation of simple validations is also important. These double-checks or automated verification processes, support a system of independent validation of the medication system to detect and correct errors before they reach patients. To promote safe medication administration, nursing and pharmacy departments must partner to evaluate risk points in the existing system. Teamwork among disciplines and clearly defined protocols were ranked as the most important factors for success in medication reconciliation. This cooperation combined with improved patient knowledge and awareness can result in much safer medical administration and a safer environment for patient-centered care. About NRC+Picker This information was supplied from the NRC+Picker Program for Patient-Centered Care, a comprehensive set of modern resources specifically designed to help caregivers improve patients� experiences. NRC+Picker is a division of National Research Corporation (NASDAQ:NRCI), an industry leader, with more than two decades of experience in healthcare performance measurement and improvement. For more information visit: http://nrcpicker.com