Running head: THE IMPORTANCE OF BAR 1
CODE
The Importance of Bar Code Medication
Administration Alexis Morales
11/12/2017
The Importance of Bar Code Medication Administration
“Patient safety is the major concern since Institute of Medicine published “To Err is
Human”. Medication errors raised health care profession awareness of this critical issue in
patient safety. Giving medicine to patients is a frequently performed activity by nurses in the
medical centers. Researchers found that nurses spent 16.9-26.9% of their time on medication-
related activities” (Tsai, Sun & Taur, 2010, p. 682). Bar code medication administration
(BCMA) conditions us as nurses to follow the five rights of medication administration: right
medication, right client, right dose, right time, and right route. This can reduce medication errors
and
therefore decrease the chance of harming patients.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Advantages: BCMA allows the nurse to spend less time on medication administration and
more time on their physical assessment, other clinical documentation and time spent with the
patient. BCMA prompts nurses to follow the five rights of medication administration: right
, THE IMPORTANCE OF BAR 2
CODE
medication, right client, right dose, right time, and right route. This can reduce medication errors
and therefore decrease the chance of harming patients. “The nurse begins by scanning his or her
name badge, thereby logging in as the person responsible for medication administration. Next,
the bar code on the patient’s identification bracelet is scanned, prompting the electronic system
to pull up the medication orders. Next, the bar code on each of the medications to be
administered is scanned. This technology check ensures that the five rights of medication
administration are met. If there is a discrepancy between the order and the medication that was
scanned or a contraindication for administration, an alert is generated by the system”
(McGonigle & Mastrian, 2018, p. 307). If we wanted to get technical and expand on the
medication rights, right reason and right documentation would be added. For example, BCMA
will prompt a parameters box when a blood pressure medication is scanned. This prompts the
nurse to enter the patient’s most recent blood pressure and pulse to ensure it is within parameters
which in turn confirms it is safe to administer the medication. Also, when a pain medication is
scanned, a box will pop up to enter the patient’s pain rating. This ensures that nurses are
entering in the right documentation and administering medications for the right reasons. “Bar-
code verification technology is used as a strategy for reducing medication errors. It does so by
guiding users through the appropriate medication verification process, recording medication
administration data correctly, and alerting the users to potential errors, all at the patient’s
bedside” (Bowers et al., 2015, p. 503).
Disadvantages: BCMA is not strict enough. Nurses are able to bypass the entire scanning
process and override the patient and medication scanning by clicking next and checking off the
box of the medication they want to administer. The system asks the nurse if they are sure they
want to bypass scanning and the nurse can click yes. This bypass/workaround is recorded in a
monthly report which is reviewed in order to ensure that nurses are carrying out safe practice
CODE
The Importance of Bar Code Medication
Administration Alexis Morales
11/12/2017
The Importance of Bar Code Medication Administration
“Patient safety is the major concern since Institute of Medicine published “To Err is
Human”. Medication errors raised health care profession awareness of this critical issue in
patient safety. Giving medicine to patients is a frequently performed activity by nurses in the
medical centers. Researchers found that nurses spent 16.9-26.9% of their time on medication-
related activities” (Tsai, Sun & Taur, 2010, p. 682). Bar code medication administration
(BCMA) conditions us as nurses to follow the five rights of medication administration: right
medication, right client, right dose, right time, and right route. This can reduce medication errors
and
therefore decrease the chance of harming patients.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Advantages: BCMA allows the nurse to spend less time on medication administration and
more time on their physical assessment, other clinical documentation and time spent with the
patient. BCMA prompts nurses to follow the five rights of medication administration: right
, THE IMPORTANCE OF BAR 2
CODE
medication, right client, right dose, right time, and right route. This can reduce medication errors
and therefore decrease the chance of harming patients. “The nurse begins by scanning his or her
name badge, thereby logging in as the person responsible for medication administration. Next,
the bar code on the patient’s identification bracelet is scanned, prompting the electronic system
to pull up the medication orders. Next, the bar code on each of the medications to be
administered is scanned. This technology check ensures that the five rights of medication
administration are met. If there is a discrepancy between the order and the medication that was
scanned or a contraindication for administration, an alert is generated by the system”
(McGonigle & Mastrian, 2018, p. 307). If we wanted to get technical and expand on the
medication rights, right reason and right documentation would be added. For example, BCMA
will prompt a parameters box when a blood pressure medication is scanned. This prompts the
nurse to enter the patient’s most recent blood pressure and pulse to ensure it is within parameters
which in turn confirms it is safe to administer the medication. Also, when a pain medication is
scanned, a box will pop up to enter the patient’s pain rating. This ensures that nurses are
entering in the right documentation and administering medications for the right reasons. “Bar-
code verification technology is used as a strategy for reducing medication errors. It does so by
guiding users through the appropriate medication verification process, recording medication
administration data correctly, and alerting the users to potential errors, all at the patient’s
bedside” (Bowers et al., 2015, p. 503).
Disadvantages: BCMA is not strict enough. Nurses are able to bypass the entire scanning
process and override the patient and medication scanning by clicking next and checking off the
box of the medication they want to administer. The system asks the nurse if they are sure they
want to bypass scanning and the nurse can click yes. This bypass/workaround is recorded in a
monthly report which is reviewed in order to ensure that nurses are carrying out safe practice
