The Ethics and Legalities of Medication Error
Type of document Research Paper
Number of pages 3
Subject area Nursing
Academic Level Master
Style APA
Number of sources/references 5
Order description:
Assignment:
The Ethics and Legalities of Medication Error Disclosure
American writer Nikki Giovanni once said: “Mistakes are a fact of life. It is the response to the error that counts” (Goodreads, 2012). Whenever you make an error when writing a prescription, you must consider the ethical and legal implications of your error—no matter how seemingly insignificant it might be. You may fear the possible consequences and feel pressured not to disclose the error. Regardless, you need to consider the potential implications of non-disclosure. How you respond to the prescription error will affect you, the patient, and the health care facility where you practice. In this Assignment, you examine ethical and legal implications of disclosure and nondisclosure of personal error.
Consider the following scenario:
You are working as an advanced practice nurse at a community health clinic. You make an error when prescribing a drug to a patient. You do not think the patient would know that you made the error, and it certainly was not intentional.
To prepare:
Consider the ethical implications of disclosure and nondisclosure.
Research federal and state laws for advanced practice nurses. Reflect on the legal implications of disclosure and nondisclosure for you and the health clinic.
Consider what you would do as the advanced practice nurse in this scenario including whether or not you would disclose your error.
Review the Institute for Safe Medication Practices website in the Learning Resources. Consider the process of writing prescriptions. Think about strategies to avoid medication errors.
By Day 7
Write a 2- to 3- page paper that addresses the following:
Explain the ethical and legal implications of disclosure and nondisclosure. Be sure to reference laws specific to your state.
Describe what you would do as the advanced practice nurse in this scenario including whether or not you would disclose your error. Provide your rationale.
Explain the process of writing prescriptions including strategies to minimize medication errors.
I live in the state of Arizona so all the laws should reference arizona laws also please use the readings and resources as references
Week 2: Ethical and Legal Aspects of Prescribing
Responsibilities are given to him on whom trust rests. Responsibility is always a sign of trust.
—James Cash Penney
Nurses have been rated the most trusted professionals in the United States (CDC, 2012). With this trust comes a critical responsibility to maintain ethical and legal practices in order to preserve patient safety when treating patients and prescribing drugs. Since the scope of practice for advanced practice nurses is broadening, you will likely encounter new and complex ethical challenges in your clinical settings.
This week, you explore ethical and legal implications of prescribing drugs including disclosure, nondisclosure, and prescriptive authority. You also examine the process of writing prescriptions to avoid prescription drug errors.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this week, students will:
Evaluate ethical and legal implications related to prescribing drugs
Analyze ethical and legal practices of prescribing drugs
Evaluate ethical and legal implications of disclosure and nondisclosure
Analyze the process of writing prescriptions to avoid medication errors
Understand and apply key terms, concepts, and principles related to ethical and legal aspects of prescribing
Photo Credit: erhui1979/DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images
Learning Resources
This page contains the Learning Resources for this week. Be sure to scroll down the page to see all of this week’s assigned Learning Resources. To access select media resources, please use the media player below.
Required Readings
Arcangelo, V. P., Peterson, A. M., Wilbur, V., & Reinhold, J. A. (Eds.). (2017). Pharmacotherapeutics for advanced practice: A practical approach (4th ed.). Ambler, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Chapter 1, “Issues for the Practitioner in Drug Therapy” (pp. 3–14)
This chapter introduces issues relating to drug therapy such as adverse drug events and medication adherence. It also explores drug safety, the practitioner’s role and responsibilities in prescribing, and prescription writing.
Chapter 59, “The Economics of Pharmacotherapeutics” (pp. 1009-1018)
This chapter analyzes the costs of drug therapy to health care systems and society and explores practice guideline compliance and current issues in medical care.
Chapter 60, “Integrative Approaches to Pharmacotherapy—A Look at Complex Cases” (pp. 1021-1036)
This chapter examines issues in individual patient cases. It explores concepts relating to evaluation, drug selection, patient education, and alternative treatment options.
Due to the importance of ethical and legal considerations in advanced practice nursing, several resources have been provided for your reference.
Crigger, N., & Holcomb, L. (2008). Improving nurse practitioner practice through rational prescribing. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 4(2), 120–125. Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
This article explores issues relating to prescription drugs, specifically the frequency in which drugs are prescribed to patients. It also examines factors to consider before beginning drug therapy plans with patients.
Philipsen, N. C., & Soeken, D. (2011). Preparing to blow the whistle: A survival guide for nurses. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 7(9), 740–746. Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
This article examines issues that nurses encounter when reporting errors in medical settings. It also outlines the role of ethics and the responsibility of nurses to notify all individuals who are impacted by a medical error.
American Nurses Association. (2001). Code of ethics for nurses with interpretive statements. Nursing World. Retrieved from http://www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/EthicsStandards/CodeofEthicsforNurses/Code-of-Ethics-For-Nurses.html
This article outlines ethical standards in the nursing profession and identifies nine provisions of care that must be adhered to by all nurses.
Anderson, P., & Townsend, T. (2010). Medication errors: Don’t let them happen to you. American Nurse Today, 5(3), 23–28. Retrieved from https://americannursetoday.com/medication-errors-dont-let-them-happen-to-you/
This article examines factors that lead to medication errors as well as consequences of these errors on patients and nurses. It also recommends methods for avoiding and eliminating medication errors.
Drug Enforcement Administration. (n.d.). Mid-level practitioners authorization by state. Retrieved from August 23, 2012, http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drugreg/practioners/index.html
This website outlines the schedules for controlled substances, including prescriptive authority for each schedule.
Drug Enforcement Administration. (2006.). Practitioner’s manual. Retrieved from http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/pubs/manuals/pract/index.html
This manual is a resource for practitioners who prescribe, dispense, and administer controlled substances. It provides information on general requirements, security issues, recordkeeping, prescription requirements, and addiction treatment programs.
Drugs.com. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.drugs.com/
This website presents a comprehensive review of prescription and over-the-counter drugs including information on common uses and potential side effects. It also provides updates relating to new drugs on the market, support from health professionals, and a drug-drug interactions checker.
Institute for Safe Medication Practices. (2012). ISMP’s list of error-prone abbreviations, symbols, and dose designations. Retrieved from http://www.ismp.org/Tools/errorproneabbreviations.pdf
This website provides a list of prescription writing abbreviations that might lead to misinterpretation, as well as suggestions for preventing resulting errors.
Optional Resources
Byrne, W. (2011). U.S. nurse practitioner prescribing law: A state-by-state summary. Medscape Nurses. Retrieved from http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/440315
Drug Enforcement Administration. (n.d.). Code of federal regulations. Retrieved August 23, 2012, from http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/21cfr/cfr/1300/1300_01.htm
Drug Enforcement Administration. (n.d.). Registration. Retrieved August 23, 2012, from http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/Registration.html
