QR Codes and Nursing Essay

Originally invented in 1994, by the Denso Wave Corporation in Japan, Quick response tags, or QR codes were intend to for the auto manufacturer Toyota as a means to surmount vehicles, as well as vehicle parts, during the manufacturing production stages of building their cars. The QR codes were knowing to tolerate Toyota manufactures to identify parts by scanning a 2 dimensional retainioncode, or, QR code at high speed. Since its inception in 1994 QR codes micturate become one and only(a) of the close popular types of barcode used in Japan. apply primarily through Smart phones, this technology quickly allows consumers to entrance fee culture contained in the QR code. In recent years the QR barcodes acquit infiltrated the United States via consumer advertisers and package companies. QR codes can be found on direct mail from advertisers, billboards, buses, meshing ads, and build even crossed boarders into the healthc ar industry (Wikipedia, 2012). Even the national Gove rnment is adopting the use of QR codes to reduce the risks associated with mistaken personnel identification.The United States segment of self-renunciation has also boosted identification (ID) security of employees by adopting smart ID cards, which be essentially QR codes. Instead of employ the traditional ID card with employee photos, the Department of Defense has issued smart ID cards which act much like QR codes, however, they to a greater extent are more dear(predicate) to produce, and require ongoing IT support. Although they are more expensive than a traditional ID card, The Smart ID cards allow for faster impediment of personnel, and may ease some of the pressure on security officials who comport to use their judgment based on an ID card flashed in their face.With one scan of the QR code, down to the minute, culture can be displayed, which includes, authorizations for the employee, or their qualifications and, or credentials. The purpose of this communication is to exp lain the advantages and disadvantages of participating in a QR code pilot program, such as Lifesquare, who has partnered with parking brake workers in Marin County, California to cleanse their ability to save lives in emergency situations through the use of QR codes, which allow them to access patient medical information including, medical history and medicinal drugs shortly taken.In many cases this is critical with regards to saving someones life. Having access to their medical history, and or current medications could be critical in an emergency situation, when time is of the essence. In the medical survey, this has become known as BCMA, which is bar code-assistedmedication governing body. BCMA technology is existence used as an aid to beleaguer medication administration errors, improve patient safety and provide more accurate medication administration documentation. Not only is this technology being used in the United States, however, this technology is also used in Europ ean countries including Denmark, Italy and the Netherlands (Hassink, Jansen, Helmons, 2012). There have been many studies conducted over the years to end whether or non BCMA technology is advantageous to the medical field, including hospitals, doctors, nurses, and pharmacists.Research has concluded, that thither are both advantages and disadvantages when implementing BCMA technology, as well as contrasting information when it comes down to whether or not the BCMA technology is actually reducing errors in medicine administration. Although, the studies have concluded that at that place are many issues with BCMA technology, none indicate that BCMA technology is failing to prevent patient safety, which should be the of import concern when administering medicine (Hassink, Jansen, Helmons, 2012). When researching the advantages to using BCMA technology, there werent many sources that provided straight person to the point advantages, however, according to a 2010 quasi-experimental stu dy Poon, et al., report that barcode medication administration systems have been associated with a 41% reduction in non-timing administration errors and a 51% reduction in authority adverse drug events from these errors, carrying the potential to prevent 95,000 possible ADEs (Poon 2010).If these numbers are correct, BCMA technology has to potential to prevent nearly 100,000 cases of ADE, which is and adverse drug event, in which are defined as an injury resulting from the use of a medicine or omission of an intended medicine (Hassink, Jansen, Helmons, 2012). Basically, when a patient is injured due to a medication error, it is considered and ADE. On the other hand, it seems that there was lots of information when it came down to the disadvantages of using BCMA technology. Since many of the studies conducted could not present any clear cut essay and the fact that many of the studies regarding BCMA technology have contrasting information have produced many barriers to stop its imple mentation. Of the disadvantages, one of the main concerns was the price to implement this technology.This includes the cost of the equipment and installation, along with training the staff on how to use a spic-and-span and very complex technology such as BCMA. You also have todeal with the fact that not all people are estimator savvy, and complicated software programs such as the BCMA technology may not be user friendly. Having a nurse that does not know how to run this type of system may do more harm than good. many another(prenominal) nurses also feel that the BCMA process is very time consuming, however, studies found that there was no issue with regards to the time it took to administer medicine using this process.In conclusion, I would like to state that I feel that the BCMA process forget be very effective in the future and will most like be used through bulge the medical field and in all hospitals. Although BCMA technology is not necessarily new, it is new in the field o f medicine, and those that dont understand this process may be having a hard time accepting it. Eventually they will work out all of the kinks associated with BCMA technology, and we will see the numbers associated with medicine administration errors decrease, plot of land we see an increase in patient safety.ReferencesHassink, J.J., Jansen, M.M., and Helmons, P, J. (2012). Effects of bar code-assisted medication administration BCMA) on frequency, type and severity of medication administration errors a review of the literature. Eur J Hosp Pharm 19, 489-494. Doi 10.1136/ejhpharm-2012-000058 Quick response codes. Retrieved November 22, 2012 from Wikipedia Poon, E. G., Keohane, C. A., Yoon, C. S., Ditmore, M. B., Bane, A. R., Levtzion-Korach, O. M., et al. (2010). Effect of Bar-Code technology on the Safety of Medication Administration. New England Journal of Medicine , 362 (18), 1698-1707We throne But Should We?Chamberlain College of NursingBritney Adams