Literature Review
Question
Assignment - Capstone Project Proposal Literature Review
Find 5 peer reviewed articles about your capstone
project. Write а literature review.
Please follow the assignment rubric
• А literature review is not an annotated ЬiЫiography in
which you summarize briefty each article that you
have reviewed.
• While а summary of what you have read is contained
within the literature review, it goes well beyond
merely summarizing professional literature.
• lt focuses оп а speci(lc topic of interest and includes
your criticaf anafysis of the relationship among
different works, and relating this research to your
work.
• ln this case, your work will Ье your capstone project.
• lt may Ье written as а stand-alone paper or to provide
а theoretical framework and rationale for а research
study (such as а thesis or dissertation).
• Your literature review will Ье written as а standalone
paper


Solution
Literature Review
Expired drugs have caused numerous
deaths in the United States. The lack of a reliable and effective system to
dispense drugs and various medications aggravates the problem. Researchers in
the medical and pharmaceutical fields in the United States have undertaken
research studies touching on the problem of expired medication in clinics and
hospitals, as highlighted by Tariq et al. (2018).
Further, various solutions have been proposed in the quest to manage the
relevant risks to patients. A literature review to support the project proposal
on the implementation of a new system to prevent the use of expired drugs by
patients is crucial.
Methods
of Searching
The approach applied in gathering the
resources for the literature review involved the use of manual and electronic
tools. Indeed, access to the manual resources in the main library at the
university contributed to the sources of data for the project. Further, Google Search
was instrumental in finding the appropriate electronic resources, especially
articles on Google Scholar. In addition, online research databases of high
repute, such as NCBI (the National Center for Biotechnology Information),
played a strategic role in gathering the requisite resources for the project (Alnahas et al., 2020).
The various methods of searching for the project’s resources—both electronic
and manual—boosted the outcome of the literature review through the collection
of peer-reviewed articles published in top-ranking journals.
Project Proposal
PICOT
Question: Would developing a medication (dispensing) system in
a clinic lead to a decrease in expired medication (drugs) use on patients?
The proposal
for implementation of a robust system that will facilitate the prevention of
the administration and prescription of expired medications to patients in
American hospitals is crucial for the healthcare field in the United States. The
challenges associated with the use of expired drugs by patients has been
highlighted by Alnahas et al. (2020) in the quest to draw
the attention of the concerned government agencies and the public. The proposal
for the innovative system that will be key in curbing the menace of expired
medicines in health facilities is timely and well-crafted to address the
medical challenge (Tariq
et al., 2018). A high number of patients under medical care have
lost their lives due to the administration of expired drugs. Essentially, the
prescription of these drugs results from errors within the healthcare system
that monitors the use of drugs by patients (Alnahas et al., 2020). Further,
professional errors by caregivers and nurses have aggravated the problem,
resulting in delayed recovery periods and even fatalities. Therefore, the
proposed topic is the prospects for an innovative system that prevents the use
of expired medications by patients within a healthcare facility setting.
Review of the Literature
An analysis of the
risks associated with the use of expired drugs by patients exposes the
ever-growing problem facing health facilities in the United States. The results
of a cross-sectional study by Ebrahim et al. (2019) conducted across four major
health facilities in the Amhara Region, Ethiopia, revealed that one of the
primary factors that led to the wastage of drugs through expiration was the
lack of a robust system to monitor the efficiency and stock-management policy
of the medications. The findings in the comprehensive study are in line with
the study by Gidey et al. (2020). The study observes that the high percentage
of expired and unused medications in health centers was due to the lack of
reliable drug management systems. Hence, the need for an innovative drug
management system to monitor the expiry of drugs is urgent.
An investigation of the extent of the problem in healthcare facilities
contributes positively to the relevance and purpose of the project. Thus, a
review of the perspectives captured in the studies by Gidey et al. (2020) and
Ebrahim et al. (2019) is critical. The studies indicate that the implementation
of a new and innovative system would be extremely helpful to healthcare facilities
in the United States. Indeed, facilities constantly strive to enhance the
standards and quality of patient care (Gidey et al., 2020). Professionals in
the medical field, including nurses and caregivers, need to be educated on
proper drug management policies that would be fundamental in reducing cases of
drug expiration and wastage as observed by Raja et al. (2018).
Further, a crucial finding in the study by Tariq et al. (2018)
communicates the appropriateness of a novel drug management system. Tariq et
al. (2018) note that many fatalities, about 7,000 to 9,000, have occurred in the
United States. Essentially, this is due to the lack of a reliable system to
manage the dispensing and administration of drugs in health centers. Therefore, Alnahas et al.
(2020) assert that a proper and robust system for managing
drugs would play a significant role in controlling the challenge. Raja et al.
(2018) concur that the potential risks to patients within American healthcare
facilities would be mitigated by the implementation of a reputable drug management
system.
A review of the potential of the innovative system in tackling the problem
of expired drugs in American healthcare units is paramount. Gidey et al. (2020)
and Ebrahim et al. (2019) demonstrate the gravity of the challenge. According
to Ebrahim et al. (2019), the fact that many pharmaceutical companies are
constantly adding new drug categories on the market means that the risk of
expired drugs continues to increase. The fact that expired medications can
result in death reverses the goals of the American healthcare system.
Certainly, the scenario illustrates that the lack of a comprehensive system of
drug management reduces the gains made in the advancement of the standards of
care for patients in the USA, as indicated in the study by Tariq et al. (2018).
On the other hand, Gidey et al. (2020) advise that it is crucial for
hospitals to have strong drug management systems. Such systems can detect the
various levels and categorizations of medications. At the same time, Alnahas et al.
(2020) add that the new systems should have the capacity to determine with accuracy the
shelf lives of the medications. This capability will be helpful in controlling
the risk expired drugs pose to patients. Further, Raja et al. (2018) note that
an integrated system supported by information technology elements would prevent
the exposure of patients to expired medications. Indeed, Tariq et al. (2018)
assert that the new system would properly guide nurses and caregivers on the
appropriate doses of unexpired medication.
Findings
The
American healthcare system faces an ever-growing challenge of medication-dispensing
errors related to the use of expired drugs. Tariq et al. (2018) assert that
about 7,000 to 9,000 persons die in the United States due to medication errors,
including the use of expired drugs. As such, the use of expired medication in American
hospitals lowers the quality of patient care (Alnahas et al., 2020). Therefore, there is a fundamental
need to look for innovative, medically and professionally acceptable ways to
address the challenge (Alnahas et al., 2020).
The recovery journey for a patient who has been subjected to expired medication
is usually challenging and may result in fatality.
Conclusion
The
literature review has investigated the prospects for a new system aimed at
preventing the administration of expired medication to patients in American
hospitals. Indeed, Tariq et al. (2018) note that the project is part of a
strategy to enhance the quality of patient care in American healthcare
facilities. Professionals
in the medical field should be educated on proper drug management policies.
Hence, the program would be fundamental in reducing cases of drug expiration
and wastage, as observed by Raja et al. (2018). The proposed system can detect the various levels and categorizations of medications
with precision (Alnahas et al., 2020).
References
Alnahas, F., Yeboah,
P., Fliedel, L., Abdin, A. Y., & Alhareth, K. (2020). Expired medication:
Societal, regulatory and ethical aspects of a wasted opportunity. International
Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(3), 787. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7037917/
Ebrahim, A. J.,
Teni, F. S., & Yimenu, D. K. (2019). Unused and expired medications: Are
they a threat? A facility-based cross-sectional study. Journal of Primary
Care & Community Health, 10, 2150132719847857. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2150132719847857
Gidey, M. T.,
Birhanu, A. H., Tsadik, A. G., Welie, A. G., & Assefa, B. T. (2020).
Knowledge, attitude, and practice of unused and expired medication disposal
among patients visiting Ayder Comprehensive Specialized Hospital. BioMed
Research International, 2020. https://www.hindawi.com/journals/bmri/2020/9538127/
Raja, S., Mohapatra,
S., Kalaiselvi, A., & Rani, R. J. (2018). Awareness and disposal practices
of unused and expired medication among health care professionals and students
in a tertiary care teaching hospital. Biomedical & Pharmacology
Journal, 11(4), 2073. https://dx.doi.org/10.13005/bpj/1585
Tariq, R. A.,
Vashisht, R., Sinha, A., & Scherbak, Y. (2018). Medication dispensing
errors and prevention. NCBI.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519065/




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