NAVIGATING THE IMPACT OF NURSE WORKLOAD ON MEDICATION ERRORS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Abstract

Background & Aim: The healthcare industry is consistently working to ensure safe, high-quality patient care, but medication errors continue to be a major concern globally. This systematic literature review to explore and analyse the relationship between nurse workload and medication errors in healthcare settings. Methods & Materials: To achieve this, an extensive search of scholarly articles was conducted from reputable databases such as Scopus and Wiley focusing on studies published between 2014 and 2024. The flow of study based on PRISMA framework. Results: A total of 22 articles were included in the review. The findings were divided into three themes which are (1) Medication Errors and Prevention Strategies, (2) Impact of Interruptions and Workload on Medication Safety, (3) Nurses' Roles, Perceptions, and Decision-Making in Medication Management. The findings from various studies highlight that increased nurse workload significantly contributes to the incidence of medication errors, impacting patient safety and the quality of care provided. Furthermore, the physical and psychological strain associated with heavy workloads can impair nurses' decision-making abilities. Conclusion: The conclusion emphasises how a high workload, frequent interruptions, and cognitive overload not only increase the likelihood of mistakes but also impair nurses' capacity to make wise clinical judgements. This emphasises how important it is to take care of nurses' emotional and physical needs.