Examining nurses' decision process for medication management in home care.
BACKGROUND
The process of medication management within home care agencies was prospectively described, with a focus on the nurse's role and critical points in the process. The process the nurse must follow includes preparing, checking, and administering medications; updating knowledge of medications; monitoring the effectiveness of treatment; reporting adverse reactions; and teaching patients about their drugs.
The steps that home health nurses (HHNs) go through with families and the system changes that could be developed to decrease errors were identified. The approach was based on Failure Mode and Effects Analysis-a method to identify and prevent process problems before they occur. The medication management process was divided into drug utilization review (DUR) for duplicative and harmful interactions; drug administration by the patient, family member, and/or caregiver; and side effects. Failure modes were developed for a DUR for duplicative and harmful interactions.


CONCLUSIONS
Home health agencies should analyze the medication management process in their own agencies and identify system solutions. The difficulty encountered by HHNs in contacting physicians to discuss changes to the drug regimen following the assessment of potential drug interactions or duplications is an ongoing problem. Careful monitoring by HHNs could decrease the impact of adverse drug effects.
Kovner
Christine
C
Division of Nursing, Steinhardt School of Education, New York University, New York City, New York, USA. ctk1@nyu.edu
Menezes
Joyce
J
Goldberg
Judith D
JD
D003657:Decision Making; D017723:Drug Utilization Review; D018574:Home Care Agencies; D006801:Humans; D008508:Medication Errors / Q000517:prevention & control; D008509:Medication Systems / Q000458:organization & administration*; D024802:Nurse's Role; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014481:United States