Errors Associated With Medication Administration by a Nurse During Hospitalisation: A Prospective Observational...

Area of Science:

• Nursing Practice
• Patient Safety
• Healthcare Quality Improvement

Background:

• Medication administration errors (MAEs) pose a significant risk to inpatient safety globally.
• Nurses play a critical role in medication administration within hospital settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence and contributing factors of medication administration errors (MAEs) among nurses in inpatient settings.
• To analyze deviations from standard practices associated with MAEs.

Main Methods:

• A prospective observational study adhering to STROBE guidelines was conducted across four regional hospitals.
• Direct observation of medication administration by nurses to adult inpatients over three days.
• MAEs were classified into major, specific, and procedural categories, with statistical analysis using generalized linear and decision tree models.

Main Results:

• Over 6,300 medication administrations were observed, revealing a high incidence of MAEs.
• Key predictors for major and specific MAEs included hospital-specific factors, nurses with less than two years of experience, unclear prescriptions, and incorrect medication strength.
• Procedural MAEs were also extensively documented.

Conclusions:

• Non-adherence to standard medication prescribing and administration processes elevates the incidence of severe MAEs.
• Addressing determinants like unclear prescriptions and limited nurse experience is crucial for reducing MAEs.