Preventive Risk Assessment of Medication in Intensive Wards

Abstract

Background: Failure mode and effect analysis (FEMA) approach as one of the preventive risk management strategies to identify and prevent errors in the medication process in nursing care in the 10 intensive wards in two large hospitals in Khorramabad. Methods: This study is applied descriptive research, which is conducted as a mixed-method quantitative-qualitative approach using focus group discussion. Results: The average risk priority number (RPN) score for the intensive care unit (ICU) in this study was 20.97. The highest RPN scores were associated with the SICU (Surgical ICU) and EICU (Emergency ICU) wards with RPN of 24.66 and 22.71, respectively. Among the steps of the medication process, the first step “physician order” had the highest score (RPN = 26.08). Conclusions: The intensive wards, which had high RPN scores are exposed to more risk of the drug medication process like EICU and SICU; also, simple acts such as handwriting readable by a physician can considerably reduce risk in the ICU.