A realist evaluation of a safe medication administration education programme

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Healthcare Quality Improvement
• Patient Safety

Background:

• Continuing professional education (CPE) is vital for nurses to maintain and update skills.
• Empirical evidence on CPE effectiveness and practice application is limited.
• This study addresses the gap in understanding how CPE translates into clinical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore a continuing professional education (CPE) program on safe medication administration.
• To investigate the transfer of new knowledge and skills from CPE into clinical nursing practice.
• To identify factors influencing the application of CPE into practice.

Main Methods:

• A realist evaluation framework was employed, focusing on context, mechanisms, and outcomes (CMOs).
• The study involved four stages: theory building, testing, and refinement of CMOs.
• Data collection included document analysis, interviews (n=16), clinical observations, and analysis of critical incidents and nursing care metrics.

Main Results:

• Ward managers play a significant role in applying CPE learning into practice.
• Local leadership fosters a patient safety culture and quality improvement approach.
• Multidisciplinary teams, reasoning skills, and receptivity to change were identified as key enabling factors.

Conclusions:

• Findings should inform policy and practice to ensure CPE learning is applied effectively.
• Realist evaluation is recommended for evaluating CPE programs to improve patient care.
• Effective implementation of CPE requires supportive leadership and team collaboration.