Using simulations to identify nursing student behaviors: a longitudinal study of medication administration

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recognizes adverse drug events as a serious public health problem. Nurses routinely administer patient medications and must be safe when delivering care. Typically, students are taught the traditional rights method (RM) of safe medication administration in the skills laboratory and through the use of high-fidelity simulation scenarios. The RM includes measures of ensuring the right patient, right medication, right dose, right time, and right route. This pilot study demonstrates changes in verification of the rights among junior and senior nursing students in four simulation scenarios over the course of one academic year. The findings suggest that students become more neglectful in verification of the rights prior to medication administration as they progress through the curriculum. This study should help educators identify significant focus areas for clinical supervisors, including the importance of increased verification of the rights of safe medication administration in the clinical setting.