Factors influencing nurses' attitudes and intentions toward medication administration error reporting

The aims of this study were to explore the factors that influence nurses' attitudes and intentions toward medication administration error (MAE) reporting.

The theory of planned behavior was used as the framework for this study. A cross-sectional design was used, and data were obtained from self-administered questionnaires. A total of 596 staff nurses who worked in a regional hospital for at least 3 months were invited to participate in this study. The researchers used exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis to test the psychometric properties of each measurement scale. The 1 week data collection period was between September and November 2013. Descriptive statistics were used to examine the demographic and job characteristics of the participants and multiple linear regression was used to test the hypotheses.

Of the 596 nurses invited to participate, 548 (92%) completed and returned a valid questionnaire. The findings indicated that altruism, and nurse managers' and co-workers' attitudes are predictors for nurses' attitudes toward MAE reporting, and nurses' attitudes and co-workers' attitudes affect nurses' intention to report MAE. No connection was found between report control and nurses' intentions toward MAE reporting.

The findings reflected that altruism, and nurse managers' and co-workers' attitude, and nurses' attitudes toward MAE reporting are predictors of nurses' intentions toward MAE reporting. The authors strongly recommended the healthcare system to institute an open communication and learning culture.