Medication Administration Safety Practices and Perceived Barriers Among Nurses: A Cross-Sectional Study in Northern Nigeria

Abstract

Introduction Safe medication administration is a vital process that ensures patients' safety and quality of life. However, reports of medication errors and their solutions are lacking. The aim of this study was to examine the correlation between medication administration safety practices and perceived barriers among nurses in northern Nigeria. Methods A descriptive approach to research and cross-sectional design was applied to this study. The study population included nurse employees of the Zamfara State Government in northern Nigeria. Simple random sampling and systematic sampling were used in selecting the respondents of the study. Descriptive analysis and the Spearman rank-order correlation were used in data analysis. Results Fewer than 50% of the respondents were found to agree or strongly agree that they identify allergic patients before administering medication. Most of the respondents had agreed or strongly agreed with the following as barriers to medication administration safety practices: lack of appropriate coordination between physicians and nurses, and lack of favorable policies and facilities. There was a very weak positive correlation between medication safety practices and barriers to medication safety practices, and the correlation was statistically significant (rs = 0.180, P = 0.009). Conclusion There was a high level of desirable medication administration safety practices that the respondents followed. Nonidentification of a patient's allergic status and inadequate information on the effects of medications were among the identified medication administration practice gaps. There should be policies guiding medication administration in all hospitals in Zamfara, Nigeria.

Critical Care Nurse’s Practice Regarding Medication Administration Safety in Intensive Care Units at Governmental Hospitals in Gaza Strip

“…Intensive Care Units (ICUs) provide lifesaving care for critically ill patients; it is associated with significant risks for adverse events and serious errors with multiple interactions occurring between multidisciplinary health care providers, patients, and medical devices with increasingly complex interface [7]. In the ICUs, hospitalized patients receive more drugs than patients in other units, and are most vulnerable to being exposed to medication errors due to care complexity, severe illness, and providing life-sustaining treatment [8]. ICU nurses work in a complex work environment that changes moment by moment [9], and many organizational factors such as nurse workload or distractions during medication tasks may increase the risk for errors [10].…”

Documentation of Medical Errors in Nigeria: A Review

“…According to a survey conducted among 2,386 healthcare professionals in Nigeria, 47% of them admitted to making medical errors [10]. Globally, it is estimated that there are 42.7 million medical errors each year, which involve diagnosis, drug prescription and distribution, paperwork administration, surgery, and decision-making [11]. Unfortunately, low-and middle-income countries still have high rates of medical errors [1,3,4,11].…”

“…Globally, it is estimated that there are 42.7 million medical errors each year, which involve diagnosis, drug prescription and distribution, paperwork administration, surgery, and decision-making [11]. Unfortunately, low-and middle-income countries still have high rates of medical errors [1,3,4,11]. Among these errors, prescription and medicine usage problems are considered the most harmful [7,12].…”