Deliberate practice of medication administration among nursing students: a pilot study

The objective of this pilot study was to investigate the deliberate practice teaching method with medication administration skills to prepare for a future larger study.

A multi-methods repeated measures design was used. Pre-licensure nursing students engaged in deliberate practice across two study visits that were spaced four to eight weeks apart. Simulated scenarios served as the pre-posttests.

Study procedures were feasible to implement. Medication error rates decreased from 80.9 to 22.2 %. Students voiced a need for more skills practice and that deliberate practice is beneficial.

The deliberate practice teaching method was feasible to implement, skills improved, and students attributed their improvements to the teaching method. Skills were retained over a 4-8 week span suggesting that skill decay did not occur in this timeframe.

Worldwide, improvements in medication administration safety are required. Changes in the methods used to teach medication administration may contribute to these necessary improvements.