The StatsCan study claims that nurses who work overtime or in healthcare settings where resources an manpower are stretched thin were more likely to report a situation where a patient had been given incorrect medication or an inappropriate dosage.

The report notes that a nurse’s level of experience and education had no effect on the results.

Some findings, based on their experiences:

“– Among nurses who usually worked overtime, 22 per cent reported medication error, compared with 14 per cent of those who did not work overtime.

– Among registered nurses whose working relations with physicians were least favorable, 27 per cent reported medication error, compared with 12 per cent among those whose working relations with physicians were most favorable.

– Nurses with low support from co-workers were significantly more likely to report medication error than were those with more support. The study pointed out that low co-worker support might result from inadequate staffing as busy nurses may be less able or willing to help co-workers.

– Just under a third (32 per cent) of nurses with low job security reported medication error, compared with 19 per cent with better job security.

– About 28 per cent of those who said they were dissatisfied with their job reported medication error, compared with 18 per cent of those who were satisfied.”

Just because the report and supporting survey involved nurses north of the border, it doesn’t mean the reports findings have no weigh in the United States. Nurses of all experience and education make mistakes every day. Our job is to work diligently to eliminate mistakes to create the safest, most productive healthcare settings possible.

Sources: Statistics Canada, Canadian Press