Safe drug administration using the bar code scanning system

By

Acknowledgement

I would take this opportunity to thank my research supervisor, family and friends for their support and guidance without which this research would not have been possible.

DECLARATION

I [type your full first names and surname here], declare that the contents of this dissertation/thesis represent my own unaided work, and that the dissertation/thesis has not previously been submitted for academic examination towards any qualification. Furthermore, it represents my own opinions and not necessarily those of the University.

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ABSTRACTVI

CHAPTER 1VII

Introductionvii

Backgroundvii

Goals and Objectivesviii

CHAPTER 2IX

Literature Reviewix

Drug bar code scanners used in the production process (WIP):ix

Drug bar code scanners used in the "inventory management":x

Drug bar code scanners used in the document processing:xi

Drugs with a barcode scanner productivity measurement system:xi

Patient safety verification bedside medicationxiii

How does it work?xiii

The implementation of the bedside medication verificationxiv

Barriersxiv

Overcoming these obstaclesxv

CHAPTER 3XVIII

Methodologyxviii

Patient Safety Goalsxix

Anticipated Benefitsxix

Barcode Implementationxx

Staff Trainingxx

CHAPTER 4XXII

Discussion and Analysisxxii

Applicationsxxii

The health care industry in the Asia-Pacific region EAN systemxxvi

The STRATEC Medical of United Kingdomxxxii

Consistency of Bar Code project with the role of nursing in societyxxxiv

Bar Code Technology and Key Stakeholdersxxxvii

CHAPTER 5XL

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONSxl

ABSTRACT

When a bar code symbol is passed over a scanner, it is struck across by a fast moving laser beam. The laser light is scattered by the bar code. The total scattered power is modulated by the reflectivity of the bars and spaces in the symbol. A fraction of the scattered light is collected and focused onto a photo detector that converts the light variation into an electronic signal. The electronic signal is then digitized for analysis by a computer. The scanning and detection process can be modeled by a convolution of the laser beam profile and the bar code reflectivity function. The switching between states in the digitized bar code signal, which represents transitions from a space to a bar or vice versa. is determined by a zero-crossing point in the second derivative of the analog signal. The laser profile acts like a smoothing function. It blurs the analog electronic signal. If the width of the laser profile is less than the minimum width of bars and spaces in the bar code reflectivity function, the transition point is not affected by the location of its neighboring edges. If the laser profile is wider than the minimum width in the bar code, the transition point can be shifted due to the locations of its neighboring edges. The behavior of the shift of transition is analyzed here for all cases in a UPC symbol. It is found that the amount of shift in the transition point is almost the same for several different cases within the depth of field of the scanner The knowledge of the behavior of transition point shift can be used to accurately compensate printing errors in an over-printed bar code.

CHAPTER 1

Introduction

Over the past few years, hospital organizations have increasingly looked to new technology solutions to improve patient safety. Barcode technology is an especially promising approach in the effort to reduce medical ...