The Relationship Between Nursing Students’ Perceived Sense of Belongingness and Their Willingness to Self-Report Medication Errors in the Clinical Practice Setting: A Feasibility Study

Abstract

Medication errors threaten the physical and emotional well-being of the Canadian population (Mayo & Duncan, 2004). There is a paucity of published studies examining medication errors in the nursing student population. The purpose of this pilot study was determining the feasibility of conducting a larger scale study examining the relationship between nursing students’ perceived sense of belongingness and their willingness to self-report medication errors in the clinical practice setting. Thirty fourth year nursing students completed the study instruments. The study’s conceptual framework guided the development of objectives and interpretation of results. Overall, there was a high response rate, the study protocol was appropriate, and study instruments were valid and reliable. Results indicated a negative nonsignificant inverse relationship between the two main variables. Implications related to nursing practice, education, theory, and results are offered, with a specific focus on the need to replicate the study using a larger sample.