Impact of Bar-Code Medication Administration and Electronic Medication Administration Record System in Clinical Practice for an Effective Medication Administration Process

Abstract

Clinical innovations are ideations resulting from collective experiences that enhance the “norm” and embrace an avenue for change with an invention. As such, collective data that were suggestive of increased medication errors that compromised patient safety initiated the exploration of methods that could reduce multifactorial human errors. The pursuit for an appropriate system followed with the discovery of barcode medication administration system (BCMA) and electronic medication administration system (e-MAR). Prior to the adoption of BCMA and e-MAR, it was crucial to assess the impact of the new medication administration system and the rate of medication administration errors recorded, specifically those that resulted in harm. The purpose of the study was to evaluate BCMA and e-MAR usage outcomes, clinical practices, policies, and processes impacting nurses administering medications in the clinical environment using BCMA and e-MAR system. Thus, an annotated literature review was conducted prior to the implementation of the innovation which analyzed various studies that elaborated on their study methods, data collection and analysis that deliberated on the advantages and disadvantages of barcode medication administration system. It is evident in the researched journals that increased compliance was observed with appropriate guidance, processes and policies in place. There was also a significant reduction in reported errors. The incorporation of barcode technology with electronic medication administration record (e-MAR) had greatly improved the efficiency of the BCMA system. BCMAs method was one of the proposed solutions to medication administration errors and to enhance patient safety measures. As such, the innovation could significantly reduce medication error resulting from intrinsic and extrinsic factors. This paper will further elaborate on the advantages and disadvantages of BCMA and e-MAR, the strategies assumed in the development of BCMA and e-MAR system and its implementation process by identifying and overcoming potential challenges that may arise.