Temporary emergency department staff members are twice as likely as permanent employees to be involved in medication errors, new Johns Hopkins research suggests.
Temporary ED employees are a substantial and growing part of the healthcare workforce owing to the national nursing shortage. Temporary staff members are also a cheaper alternative to permanent hires.
The Hopkins researchers examined a national Internet-based voluntary medication error reporting system and data from 2000-2005, encompassing nearly 24,000 emergency department medication errors among 592 hospitals. Medication errors made by temporary workers were more likely to reach the patient, result in at least temporary harm and also be life-threatening, they found.
The Hopkins team cautions that while it may be easy to blame the temps for the errors, the problem is probably a function of the whole system. Temporary personnel are often not familiar with local protocols or procedures, which may hamper communication and teamwork. Temporary help may be less likely to speak up if they see problems and also lag behind the latest knowledge because, unlike permanent employees, temps typically manage their own continuing education.
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Temporary ED employees are a substantial and growing part of the healthcare workforce owing to the national nursing shortage. Temporary staff members are also a cheaper alternative to permanent hires.
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The Hopkins researchers examined a national Internet-based voluntary medication error reporting system and data from 2000-2005, encompassing nearly 24,000 emergency department medication errors among 592 hospitals. Medication errors made by temporary workers were more likely to reach the patient, result in at least temporary harm and also be life-threatening, they found.
The Hopkins team cautions that while it may be easy to blame the temps for the errors, the problem is probably a function of the whole system. Temporary personnel are often not familiar with local protocols or procedures, which may hamper communication and teamwork. Temporary help may be less likely to speak up if they see problems and also lag behind the latest knowledge because, unlike permanent employees, temps typically manage their own continuing education.
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