Virtual College’s Healthcare e-Academy is singled out as reducing potentially fatal medication errors with online training
Hospital in-patients with diabetes are 10% more likely to die than those without the condition and nearly a third of patients with diabetes experienced at least one medication error in seven days in hospital. However, 75,000 registrations of Virtual College’s Safe Use of Insulin course are contributing to reducing medication errors, according to Anna Morton, Director of NHS Diabetes.
Hospital in-patients with diabetes are 10% more likely to die than those without the condition, according to a new study of more than 13 million hospital admissions, one of two major new studies into diabetes care released in May.
The report, Mortality Among In-patients with Diabetes, carried out by Diabetes Health Intelligence (part of Yorkshire and Humber Public Health Observatory), showed that one in twenty in-patients with diabetes die while in hospital.
The results of a second major study into diabetes care were also issued in May – the 2011 National Diabetes In-patient Audit (NaDIA). The survey found nearly a third of patients with diabetes experienced at least one medication error in seven days in hospital, although the total number of errors has reduced.
Anna Morton, Director of NHS Diabetes, commented: “Improving diabetes care in hospital is a priority for NHS Diabetes. Initiatives such as our Safe Use of Insulin online course developed with Virtual College’s Healthcare Academy, which has attracted more than 75,000 registrations since launching in June 2010, may explain the reduction in medication errors. This is promising but we still have a long way to go to eradicate medication errors. Administering insulin incorrectly can be fatal so the training of those prescribing and administering is vitally important.”
Additional information
About the Healthcare e-Academy
The Healthcare e-Academy, a division of Virtual College, was founded to enhance the learning and training of those involved in the Healthcare sector through the use of cost effective, engaging and interactive e-learning courses. Bringing together a powerful focused team of members who share similar issues within the healthcare sector, the Healthcare e-Academy ensures through collaborative working, that the e-learning solutions developed are mapped to various work standards and national performance indicators that members must meet.
About NHS Diabetes
NHS Diabetes is the essential link between diabetes strategy and frontline improvements for patients. Through integrated work programmes, NHS Diabetes provides national leadership and direction as well as support to local organisations working to champion good quality diabetes care.