The role of nursing education in preventing medication errors in Botswana

Medication errors frequently feature in research world-wide. Although medication errors are also a concern in medicine and anesthesia, they have become a regular topic in nursing. In Botswana, a country challenged by shortage of both medications and professionals qualified to process and administer...

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Main Authors: Wananani B. Tshiamo, Mabedi Kgositau, Esther Ntsayagae, Motshedisi B. Sabone
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2015-01-01
Series:International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221413911500013X
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spelling doaj-d8fa32959f4b4968ac70e3afc0e406762020-11-24T21:47:12ZengElsevierInternational Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences2214-13912015-01-013C182310.1016/j.ijans.2015.06.001The role of nursing education in preventing medication errors in BotswanaWananani B. TshiamoMabedi KgositauEsther NtsayagaeMotshedisi B. SaboneMedication errors frequently feature in research world-wide. Although medication errors are also a concern in medicine and anesthesia, they have become a regular topic in nursing. In Botswana, a country challenged by shortage of both medications and professionals qualified to process and administer medications, as well as low levels of health literacy, the risk of medications errors should be even higher. In Botswana nurses are deployed in both acute and primary care settings taking an active part in prescription, transcription, dispensing and administration of medications. Pre-service nursing education must therefore ensure that students are equipped with knowledge and skills on medication management and prevention of medication errors to prepare them for safe practice. In this paper, the authors take stock of the extent to which nursing curricula address the prevention of medication errors, highlighting strengths and pinpointing weaknesses yet to be addressed. The exercise involved review of curricula at various levels of nursing education as well as nursing regulatory documents. Findings from the review were corroborated with published work on the subject. Recommendations for strengthening basic nursing curricula at both diploma and undergraduate levels’ coverage of medications errors are proposed. Also recommended are measures to improve the system in the practice arena as well as research to establish the magnitude of medication errors and their related risk factors in Botswana. The exercise is envisaged to improve patients’ safety and reduce the risk of litigation for nurses.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221413911500013XMedicationErrorPreventionNursing educationCurriculum
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Wananani B. Tshiamo
Mabedi Kgositau
Esther Ntsayagae
Motshedisi B. Sabone
spellingShingle Wananani B. Tshiamo
Mabedi Kgositau
Esther Ntsayagae
Motshedisi B. Sabone
The role of nursing education in preventing medication errors in Botswana
International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences
Medication
Error
Prevention
Nursing education
Curriculum
author_facet Wananani B. Tshiamo
Mabedi Kgositau
Esther Ntsayagae
Motshedisi B. Sabone
author_sort Wananani B. Tshiamo
title The role of nursing education in preventing medication errors in Botswana
title_short The role of nursing education in preventing medication errors in Botswana
title_full The role of nursing education in preventing medication errors in Botswana
title_fullStr The role of nursing education in preventing medication errors in Botswana
title_full_unstemmed The role of nursing education in preventing medication errors in Botswana
title_sort role of nursing education in preventing medication errors in botswana
publisher Elsevier
series International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences
issn 2214-1391
publishDate 2015-01-01
description Medication errors frequently feature in research world-wide. Although medication errors are also a concern in medicine and anesthesia, they have become a regular topic in nursing. In Botswana, a country challenged by shortage of both medications and professionals qualified to process and administer medications, as well as low levels of health literacy, the risk of medications errors should be even higher. In Botswana nurses are deployed in both acute and primary care settings taking an active part in prescription, transcription, dispensing and administration of medications. Pre-service nursing education must therefore ensure that students are equipped with knowledge and skills on medication management and prevention of medication errors to prepare them for safe practice. In this paper, the authors take stock of the extent to which nursing curricula address the prevention of medication errors, highlighting strengths and pinpointing weaknesses yet to be addressed. The exercise involved review of curricula at various levels of nursing education as well as nursing regulatory documents. Findings from the review were corroborated with published work on the subject. Recommendations for strengthening basic nursing curricula at both diploma and undergraduate levels’ coverage of medications errors are proposed. Also recommended are measures to improve the system in the practice arena as well as research to establish the magnitude of medication errors and their related risk factors in Botswana. The exercise is envisaged to improve patients’ safety and reduce the risk of litigation for nurses.
topic Medication
Error
Prevention
Nursing education
Curriculum
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221413911500013X
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