Maribeth Slebodnik

Bar code technology and medication administration error.

Medication administration error (MAE) remains a patient safety concern. Few studies have investigated the impact of bar-coded technology on medication error reduction during the medication administration process at the bedside in acute care settings. The purpose and focus of this systematic review is to determine whether implementation of the Bar Code Medication Administration System (BCMA) is associated with declines in MAE rate. Findings from this systematic review reveal varied findings between studies and among the 5 rights of medication administration (right drug, right time, right patient, right dose, and right route) in general. Although BCMA did not consistently decrease the overall incidence of MAE, the technology did identify categories of medication errors not previously detected with the traditional 5 rights approach. The opportunity to analyze the additional categories of MAE identified by BCMA has implications for patient safety and is perhaps the most significant contribution of this review.

Orphanet: The Portal for Rare Diseases and Orphan Drugs

Orphanet was established in France in 1997 at the advent of the internet in order to gather scarce knowledge on rare diseases so as to improve the diagnosis, care and treatment of patients with rare diseases. This initiative became a European endeavour from 2000, supported by grants from the European Commission: Orphanet has gradually grown to a Consortium of 40 countries, within Europe and across the globe.

Effects of Perceived Discrimination on Depressive Symptoms Among Black Men Residing in the United States: A Meta-Analysis:

Research reports that perceived discrimination is positively associated with depressive symptoms. The literature is limited when examining this relationship among Black men. This meta-analysis systematically examines the current literature and investigates the relationship of perceived discrimination on depressive symptoms among Black men residing in the United States. Using a random-effects model, study findings indicate a positive association between perceived discrimination and depressive symptoms among Black men (r = .29). Several potential moderators were also examined in this study; however, there were no significant moderation effects detected. Recommendations and implications for future research and practice are discussed.

Information Literacy Across the Disciplines: Using the Science Information Literacy Wiki as a Collaborative Tool in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Science Librarianship

The Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Science and Technology Section (STS) wiki was launched in 2008. This article discusses the STS wiki development, content, publicity, and its application across the science disciplines. Information about assessment and future plans for the wiki is also provided. Some of the information included in this article was presented in a panel for the 2010 United States Agricultural Information Network (USAIN) Conference.