Ethical Implications If the Potential Solution Were to be implemented

According to the ethical principle of self-determination and autonomy, healthcare providers should inform patients if a medication error occurs. Therefore, even if the organization requires healthcare providers to report medication errors, they should inform patients about the errors regardless of the consequences. According to the principle of nonmaleficence and beneficence, healthcare workers should avoid harm. Instead, they should focus on the patient’s best interest (Sorrell, 2017).  Therefore, healthcare providers should take necessary actions to minimize adverse consequences caused by medication errors.  

In conclusion, medication errors are a significant healthcare challenge caused by individual and organizational factors. However, staff training, designing a safe corporate culture, and supporting staff prevent medication errors. Otherwise, medication errors can result in adverse consequences like criminal or civil lawsuits, patient’s death or injury, job dismissal and disciplinary actions. Therefore, healthcare workers and hospital administrators should collaborate to design a policy that minimizes medication errors.

References

1. Foster, M. J., Gary, J. C., and Sooryanarayana, S. M. (2018). Direct Observation of Medication Errors in Critical Care Setting. Critical Care Nursing Quarterly, 41(1), 76-92. https:/10.1097/CNQ.0000000000000188
2. Kavanagh, C. (2017). Medication governance: preventing errors and promoting patient safety. British Journal of Nursing, 26(3), 159-165.
3. Kim, K., and Lee, I. (2020). Medication error encouragement training: A quasi-experimental study. Nurse education today, 84, 104250.
4. Sorrell, J. M. (2017). Ethics: ethical issues with medical errors: shaping a culture of safety in healthcare. OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 22(2).
5. Soydemir, D., Seren Intepeler, S., and Mert, H. (2017). Barriers to medical error reporting for physicians and nurses. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 39(10), 1348-1363. https:/10.1177/0193945916671934