QR Codes and Nursing Essay

Origin tout ensemble toldy invented in 1994, by the Denso Wave Corporation in Japan, Quick response codes, or QR codes were mean to for the auto manu positionurer Toyota as a means to track vehicles, as well as vehicle parts, during the manufacturing production stages of building their cars. The QR codes were designed to allow Toyota manufactures to identify parts by s basinning a two dimensional barcode, or, QR code at high speed. Since its inception in 1994 QR codes oblige call on one of the most popular parts of barcode utilised in Japan. Used earlier through Smart phones, this technology quickly allows consumers to entre information contained in the QR code. In recent years the QR barcodes construct infiltrated the United States via consumer advertisers and packaging companies. QR codes can be found on direct mail from advertisers, billboards, buses, internet ads, and have even crossed boarders into the healthcargon industry (Wikipedia, 2012). Even the Federal politica l sympathies is adopting the use of QR codes to reduce the risks associated with mistaken personnel identification.The United States Department of apology has overly boosted identification (ID) security of employees by adopting ingenious ID cards, which are fundamentally QR codes. Instead of using the traditional ID card with employee photos, the Department of Defense has issued smart ID cards which act much alike QR codes, however, they much are more expensive to produce, and require ongoing IT support. Although they are more expensive than a traditional ID card, The Smart ID cards allow for faster verification of personnel, and whitethorn ease some of the pressure on security officials who have to use their judgment based on an ID card flashed in their face.With one sap of the QR code, muckle to the minute, information can be displayed, which includes, authorizations for the employee, or their qualifications and, or credentials. The economic consumption of this communicati on is to explain the advantages and disadvantages of participating in a QR code operate program, such as Lifesquare, who has partnered with emergency workers in Marin County, California to improve their talent to save lives in emergency situations through the use of QR codes, which allow them to access patient medical information including, medical history and musics currently taken.In more cases this is critical with regards to saving someones life. Having access to their medical history, and or current treats could be critical in an emergency situation, when measure is of the essence. In the medical field, this has become known as BCMA, which is bar code-assisted medication garbage disposal. BCMA technology is being apply as an aid to combat medication administration errors, improve patient safety and provide more dead-on(prenominal) medication administration documentation. Not only is this technology being used in the United States, however, this technology is also used in European countries including Denmark, Italy and the Netherlands (Hassink, Jansen, Helmons, 2012). There have been some studies conducted over the years to conclude whether or not BCMA technology is advantageous to the medical field, including hospitals, doctors, nurses, and pharmacists.Research has concluded, that there 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 care for administration. Although, the studies have concluded that there are many issues with BCMA technology, none manoeuver that BCMA technology is failing to bar patient safety, which should be the main occupy when administering medicine (Hassink, Jansen, Helmons, 2012). When researching the advantages to using BCMA technology, there werent many sources that provided straight to the indicate advantages, however, according to a 2010 quasi-experimental study P oon, 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 potential 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 about 100,000 cases of ADE, which is and adverse drug event, in which are defined as an soil 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 actualisems 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 evidence and the fact that many of the studies regarding BCMA technology have contrasting information have produced many barriers to stop its im plementation. Of the disadvantages, one of the main concerns was the price to implement this technology.This includes the costs of the equipment and installation, on with training the staff on how to use a new and truly complex technology such as BCMA. You also have to  flock with the fact that not all people are computer savvy, and mingled software programs such as the BCMA technology may not be user friendly. Having a nurse that does not know how to operate this type of system may do more harm than good. Many 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 will be very effective in the future and will most like be used throughout the medical field and in all hospitals. Although BCMA technology is not necessarily new, it is new in the field of medicine, and those that c ome int understand this process may be having a heavy(p) 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, while 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 inspection 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 Can unless Should We?Chamberlain College of NursingBritney Adams