title: The medication process, workload and patient safety in inpatient units.
abstract: Objective To conduct a survey of critical points in the medication process, its repercussions on the demands made on the nursing team and risks related to patient safety. Method This was a qualitative descriptive study that adopted an ecological-restorative approach. The data were collected through focus groups and photographs. Participants consisted of nurses and nursing technicians. Results Three categories emerged from the thematic analysis: challenges related to the process of prescribing and dispensing medication; medication administration with relation to work shift organization; and the use of new technologies to reduce medication errors. The results indicated that the medication process plays a central role in organizing nursing care, being that these professionals represent the last barrier for detecting medication prescription and administration errors. Conclusion By identifying vulnerabilities in the medication administration phase, the use of technology can help ensure patient safety.
authors.affiliation: Escola de Enfermagem, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Ana Maria Müller de
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Magalhães
authors.affiliation: Escola de Enfermagem, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Gisela Maria Schebella Souto de
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Moura
authors.affiliation: Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Simone Silveira
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Pasin
authors.affiliation: Escola de Enfermagem, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Lia Brandt
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Funcke
authors.affiliation: Escola de Enfermagem, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Bruna Machado
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Pardal
authors.affiliation: Escola de Enfermagem, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Angélica
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kreling