Evaluation of the Barcode Identification Card to Verify High-Risk, High-Risk, High-Alert Medications

Purpose:
The aim is to evaluate the effectiveness of the Personalized Barcode Identification Card to verify Highrisk, Highalert(HRHA)medications.The card was developed to verify and document the administration,to decrease medication errors and adverse drug events,and to standardize the process verification.

Significance:
The Joint Commission's number #3 goal is to improve the safety of medications by verifying all medication or solution label verbally and visually.Hospital policy requires a second RN to double check the medication prior to administration the BCMA system did not allow for a verifier to witness/cosign

Strategy and Implementation:
A personalized barcode comment identification card was created using code-128 symbology,through a barcode generator. A list of HRHA medications on one side of the card, and personalized barcode ID, on the other side was made,laminated, and placed in the nurses ID packet. The nurses that need a HRHA medication verified, requests a second nurse to verify the medication following the five rights, and then scan the 2nd nurse's barcode after permission. The scanned comment pops up in the comments section, with the name/initial of the nurse with whom the medication was verified. The Rogers Theory of Innovation is selected as a framework for the development and assessment of the personalized barcode identification card in HRHA medication administration. This theory shows how change can be achieved and how the characteristics of the innovation itself can facilitate the adoption of the methods used to prevent errors through five stages.

Evaluation:
% of medications not verified,PBID verified,and verified by other than PBID were calculated and compared using Z-tests. % of PBID verified medications(83.55%)was significantly higher than %of medications not verified(0.9%,Z=38.43,p <.05.Results show that a standardized procedure is followed.

Implications for Practice:
No internal/external costs. Decreased medication errors and adverse events, saves time by scanning and typing, improves patient safety, data capture, increases audit trails, decreases administration time, improves compliance and standardizes process.