It is vital to have leadership skills as a nurse. During my Leadership clinical in nursing school, I was given the opportunity to spend time at an assigned unit at a hospital. I was taught many aspects of a leader and the role a leader plays in the nursing profession. I presented the material I found and came up with a project for this unit based on the observations I had made. The below are parts of the presentation I made and a portion of the project I worked on.
Leadership Clinical Experience at University Medical Center
Middle Tennessee State University School of Nursing
October 7, 2008
Roles of Nurse Manager
Make certain that unit is adequately staffed each shift
Attends meetings throughout the day with other managers and CNO of hospital
Works on extracurricular activities for the hospital
Ensures the Caret system if functioning properly
Recently went to Naples, FL to build a computer charting system
Helps on the floor when nurses are busy
Did you know???
Medication errors are one of the most common type of medical errors
Pediatric population has a higher rate of harm caused by med errors compared to adults
ALL pediatric nurses should have the proper knowledge base to prevent these errors from occurring
Leadership Project
Pediatric Medication Error Handbook
Objectives
Provide nurses with UMC’s pediatric medication administration policy
Review common medication errors & what nurses can do to prevent errors
Make staff aware of high-alert medications in pediatric population
Provide a check list and practice calculations
Leadership project
Each nurse received a handbook with the following information:
UMC’s Pediatric Medication Administration Policy
Facts about med errors and how to prevent them
List of high-alert medications
Critical actions check list
Scenarios for dosage calculation practice (answer sheet included)
Pico question
For pediatric patients does the use of a separate medication supply station reduce the future risk of medication errors compared with having a central medication supply system for adults and pediatrics?
Project Materials
Preventing Pediatric Medication Errors
Did you know???
*Medication errors are one of the most common types of medical errors
*Pediatric patients have a higher rate of harm caused by med errors compared to adults
Why are children more prone to harm from medication errors???
*Most medications used for children are formulated and packaged for adult use; therefore, there is a need to calculate a pediatric dose
*Health care settings are built around the needs of adults…lack pediatric care protocols and safeguards and/or up-to-date and easily accessible pediatric reference materials
*Children are usually less able to physiologically tolerate medication error due to still developing renal, immune and hepatic functions
*Many children cannot effectively communicate to the nurse or other provider adverse effects they may be experiencing
*performance deficit, knowledge deficit, procedure/protocol not followed, miscommunication, calculation error, computer entry error, inadequate monitoring, improper use of pumps, and documentation errors
So what can we, as nurses, do about this problem???
*Use the established pediatric formulary system
*Limit the number of concentrations and dose strengths of high alert medications to the minimum to provide safe care (ex: heparin)
*Be aware of high-alert medications (see handout)
*Only use oral syringes to administer oral medications (make sure to keep these stocked on the unit)
*Go through the proper steps when preparing a medication to be administered to a child (see Critical Actions handout)
*Review your agencies’ medication administration policy (see Policy handout)
*Accurately calculate a pediatric dosage and have another RN check with you
*Make sure to use you Caret each and every time you administer medications
*Document promptly and accurately
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