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Factors Influencing Registered Nurses' Judgments and Decisions in Medication Management

Vargo, Deborah
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1258131145

Abstract Details

2009, Doctor of Philosophy, University of Akron, Nursing.
Medication errors represent a significant concern in healthcare. The process of preventing medication errors is complex and involves several disciplines. Nurses play a vital role in identifying and preventing these errors using clinical judgment and astute decision-making skills. The purpose of this research was to identify the patient factors, workplace factors and nurse characteristics that influenced the conflict involved in questioning a medication order, the judgments made in administering the medication and contacting the prescriber to question the order. The Conflict Theory of Decision-making was the model that guided this study; simply stated the level of conflict that a decision-maker experiences directly affects the final choice that is made and the action that is taken. The factorial survey method was used in this study. The strength of the method lies in the ability to examine the effect of each independent variable on the dependent variable. A convenience sample of medical/surgical and intensive care nurses employed in three acute care facilities in Northwest Ohio completed a three-part survey. Part One of the survey asked the nurse to describe the last time a medication order was questioned. Part Two contained vignettes that portray ‘real-life’ decision-making situations that nurses responded to using a Likert Scale. Part Three asked for specific information about the nurses' personal and professional characteristics. Results of the analysis of the data from 115 nurses' responses found the single most important influence in the experience of conflict, decision to administer the medication and contacting the prescriber was the dose and the route of the medication. In addition, nurses with a baccalaureate or higher degree were found to have a significantly different level of conflict to question a medication order than nurses with Associate Degrees or diplomas. These findings give impetus for developing educational strategies to support management of conflict in questioning a medication order and the importance of nurses' decision-making in medication management to prevent errors.
Ruth Ludwick, PhD (Advisor)
150 p.
Nursing
Factorial Survey; Medication management; Medication errors; Judgment; Decision-making; Conflict

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Vargo, D. (2009). Factors Influencing Registered Nurses' Judgments and Decisions in Medication Management [Doctoral dissertation, University of Akron]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1258131145

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Vargo, Deborah. Factors Influencing Registered Nurses' Judgments and Decisions in Medication Management. 2009. University of Akron, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1258131145.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Vargo, Deborah. "Factors Influencing Registered Nurses' Judgments and Decisions in Medication Management." Doctoral dissertation, University of Akron, 2009. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1258131145

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

akron1258131145
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© 2009, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by University of Akron and OhioLINK.