Factors Influencing Medication Administration Errors as Perceived by Nurses in Pediatric Units in a Jordanian...

The World Health Organization declared that medication errors are the third largest global patient safety challenge. The medication administration stage is a common and susceptible stage for medical errors to occur.

To explore the factors contributing to medication administration errors specifically in pediatric care units as perceived by nurses in a Jordanian hospital.

A qualitative descriptive study was conducted involving face-to-face audio-recorded interviews with 9 nurses in a tertiary hospital located in the north of Jordan. A convenience sampling technique was used to select the participants of our study. Data were collected between October 2022 and November 2022. The data were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis.

Four themes emerged affecting medication administration errors in pediatric care units. These were environmental, staff, parents and patient, and medication-related factors.

The findings of this study raise awareness of the most frequent sources of medication errors in a Jordanian hospital. Holding training and supervision to raise awareness among nurses and the availability of equipment and supplies could improve medication safety practices.