Degree Name
Nursing Practice, DNP
Publication Date
2-19-2026
First Advisor
Sandra King
Second Advisor
Randi McCoy
Abstract
Medication administration errors remain a persistent threat to patient safety in emergency department settings, where high acuity, rapid throughput, and workflow interruptions increase vulnerability to preventable adverse events. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice quality improvement project was to increase medication-safety knowledge scores by at least 10% and reduce medication administration error rates by 20% within eight weeks among registered nurses in a freestanding emergency department in South Texas. The project was grounded in Lewin’s Change Theory as the theoretical framework and implemented using the Plan–Do–Study–Act quality improvement model. A quasi-experimental, single-group pretest–posttest design was used with a convenience sample of 24 registered nurses (N = 24). The evidence-based intervention consisted of structured didactic education and simulation-based training focused on high-alert medications, barcode medication administration compliance, and accurate electronic documentation. Outcomes were measured using a validated medication-safety knowledge assessment and aggregate medication error data extracted from the electronic reporting system. Mean knowledge scores increased from 71.8% (SD = 9.1) pre-intervention to 85.6% (SD = 7.4) post-intervention, t(23) = 5.94, p < .001. Medication administration errors declined by 42.9%, and near-miss reporting increased. Limitations included the small sample size and short implementation period. These findings support structured nurse-led education as an effective strategy to strengthen medication-safety practices and advance quality improvement in emergency care settings.
Rights Management
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Recommended Citation
Irish, Paulina, "Quality Improvement Project: Reducing Medication Errors to Improve Patient Safety" (2026). Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects. 304.
https://arch.astate.edu/dnp-projects/304
