Nurses' Perceived Causes of Medication Administration Errors: A Qualitative Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Patient Safety
• Healthcare Quality

Background:

• Medication administration errors (MAEs) represent a significant patient safety concern.
• Nurses' perspectives on error causation are crucial for developing effective interventions.
• Qualitative research is vital for uncovering less apparent factors contributing to MAEs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize qualitative evidence on nurses' perceived causes of medication administration errors.
• To provide guidance for interventions aimed at mitigating MAEs.

Main Methods:

• A systematic review of qualitative and mixed-methods studies published between 2000 and February 2019.
• Inclusion of 16 English-language articles reporting qualitative data on nurses' perceived causes of MAEs.
• Thematic analysis of data, with error causes categorized as knowledge-based, personal, and contextual factors.

Main Results:

• Key knowledge-based factor: insufficient medication knowledge.
• Personal factors identified: fatigue and complacency.
• Contextual factors: heavy workloads and interruptions, frequently interconnected with personal and knowledge-based factors.

Conclusions:

• Nurses perceive MAEs as multifactorial and interconnected, often originating from systemic issues.
• Multifactorial interventions, emphasizing systems changes, are necessary to reduce medication errors.
• Findings can inform strategies for identifying and modifying factors contributing to MAEs.