Use of SWOT analysis to optimize and reduce the risks of the process of administering drugs by nurses in selected departments of South Bohemian hospitals

Abstract

Objective: Administering medication is one of the key nursing processes in hospitals. Unfortunately, there are many mistakes in drug administering that arise from human error and interfere with all activities related to drug management. Methods: This qualitative research aimed to analyse the process of administering drugs by nurses at selected South Bohemian hospitals using SWOT analysis and SWOT risk analysis. We studied medication processes in selected South Bohemian hospitals. The research was conducted at selected inpatient departments of these hospitals (surgery, internal medicine, and aftercare department). Top management representatives and a nurse manager also attended. Results: The analysis of the drug administration process provided the basis for creating SWOT analysis and SWOT risk analysis for selected hospitals. We identified key factors influencing the quality of the nurse drug administration process and constructed strategic recommendations for improving this process. The improvements included a transition to comprehensive electronic documentation, connection of the hospital pharmacy system with the hospital information system (HIS), increasing the number of staff members according to the situation of the hospital, higher use of clinical pharmacists, and sharing experience between hospitals. The SWOT risk analysis was also used to identify the risk areas of the studied medication processes. Conclusions: The results of this study include an analysis of the key factors that influence the quality of the drug administration process for nurses using SWOT analysis and SWOT risk analysis. Based on the analyses, we defined recommendations for hospital management to improve and reduce the risks of this process.