Addressing Medication Administration Safety Through Simulation: A Quasi-Experimental Study Among Nursing Students

Healthcare institutions are dedicated to minimizing medication errors and promoting their reporting. This study investigates the impact of simulation on nursing students' attitudes toward and intention to report medication errors. A quasi-experimental one-group pre-post-test study was conducted. Third-year nursing students (N = 63) participated in a scenario-based simulation for medication administration. Participants' errors were documented. Participants self-reported attitudes toward medication administration safety and intention to report errors. The most reported error was "contraindicated in disease" (61%). The simulation increased attitudes of preparedness by the training program received (p < 0.01) and belief in the patient's involvement in preventing errors (p < 0.01), and decreased the belief that professional incompetence reveals errors (p = 0.015). Intention to report errors was influenced by medication error training received (p = 0.045), confidence in error reporting (p < 0.001), and a sense of responsibility to disclose errors (p = 0.001). Simulation effectively shapes attitudes and intentions regarding medication error reporting. Improving nursing students' awareness, skills, and clinical judgment can foster a safety culture and potentially reduce patient harm. Future research should examine the long-term effects of simulation and its impact on reducing medication errors.