by Deanna R. Miller, RN, MSN/Ed, HCE, manager of inpatient units at University Hospitals Geneva (OH) Medical Center My experiences as a hospital patient—in relation to nursing care—have never been negative. I received my medications on time, and the nurse came in each shift and assessed me. But what was lacking with my care was complete and effective patient education. Each day, as my nurse was performing an array of tasks, I often asked...  Read More »

Often medication errors are directly tied to errors in reading, writing, or interpreting charted information. Complications related to medication-related incidents and errors are costly, at best. At worst, drug-related mishaps increase the incidence of hospitalization and death. Medication errors adversely affect quality of life. Medication-related incidents affecting patient safety fall into six general categories: Medication administration...  Read More »

Time is winding down (doesn’t it just fly?) before graduation for our Last Semester columnist, Chelsea. In her last few installments, she has taken us through her search for a job and her thoughts after attending the National Student Nurses’ Association convention in Grapevine, TX. Today, she dives into her own personal nursing philosophy. How does it compare to yours? This past semester, we were given the task of defining our...  Read More »