Nurses learn how to care for patients – they should also learn how systems can fail them

PeopleImages/Shutterstock A nurse can know exactly how to give a medicine safely and still be more likely to make a mistake if they are repeatedly interrupted, given confusing information or forced to search several computer systems for the details they need. For patients, the consequences can be serious. Research has linked problems during clinical handovers with risks to safe care, while interruptions during medication administration have been associated with errors. When something goes wrong…