A Correlational Study of Medication Knowledge Versus Confidence Levels in Student Nurses

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Patient Safety
• Medication Administration

Background:

• Nurses' medication knowledge and confidence are critical for patient safety.
• Limited research exists on the relationship between medication knowledge and confidence levels in nursing students.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare Bachelor of Science in Nursing students' medication knowledge with their perceived confidence using a certainty scale.
• To investigate the alignment between knowledge accuracy and confidence in medication administration skills.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a certainty scale to assess medication knowledge among Bachelor of Science in Nursing students.
• Compared students' correct and incorrect medication knowledge responses with their confidence levels.

Main Results:

• Students reported 71% confidence when correct and 43% confidence when incorrect.
• A significant positive correlation was found between knowledge correctness and certainty.
• A significant negative correlation existed between incorrect answers and certainty, indicating a mismatch.

Conclusions:

• Confidence of certainty did not accurately reflect medication knowledge in nursing students.
• The discrepancy between confidence and knowledge poses a potential risk for medication administration errors.
• Further research and educational interventions are needed to improve medication knowledge and accurate self-assessment in nursing students.