DNP Final Report: MEDICATION ERRORS: DECREASING FROM DAY ONE THROUGH ONLINE LEARNING MODULE AND INCIDENT REPORTING

Abstract

Medication administration errors remain a significant patient safety concern in healthcare and nursing education. This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) quality improvement project evaluated the implementation of a standardized medication safety learning module and incident reporting process to improve medication safety awareness, medication administration competency, and error reporting among second-semester Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students. Guided by the Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence-Based Practice Model and Kotter's 8-Step Change Model, the project incorporated medication safety education, simulation-based learning, and near-miss reporting to promote a culture of safety. Although competency outcomes were similar to previous student cohorts, participants demonstrated increased reporting of medication errors and near misses. The findings support continued integration of standardized medication safety education and nonpunitive error reporting into undergraduate nursing curricula and highlight the role of DNP-prepared nurses in leading sustainable, evidence-based quality improvement initiatives that strengthen patient safety.