Nursing Student Medication Administration Performance: A Longitudinal Assessment

Nurses must be adequately prepared for safe medication administration.

The specific aims of the study were to compare first- and final-semester nursing students' medication administration performance, describe graduating nursing student performance, assess the long-term effect of an Individual Simulation-Based Experience (ISBE), and determine if nursing assistant experience impacted performance.

The study was a longitudinal, descriptive, experimental, 2-group pretest-posttest design. The Medication Administration Safety Assessment Tool was used to assess nursing student (n = 68) medication administration performance at 3 points in time: after learning the skill, after participation in an ISBE or traditional practice session, and prior to graduation.

Only one-third of senior nursing students accurately demonstrated medication administration. There was no significant difference between first- and last-semester performance.

Findings suggest nursing students are not prepared for safe medication administration upon graduation. The reality of practice opportunities to perform this skill throughout a nursing program should be examined.