FACTORS INFLUENCING MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION ERRORS AND BARRIERS TO SELF-REPORTING AMONG NURSES IN PUBLIC SECTOR TERTIARY CARE HOSPITALS IN PESHAWAR
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.71000/qtgqr810Keywords:
Medication administration error, Nurses, Barriers to Reporting, Medication Safety, Organizational Culture, Patient Safety, WorkloadAbstract
Background: Medication administration errors (MAEs) are a leading cause of adverse patient outcomes in healthcare settings. These errors often stem from complex systemic and human factors. Understanding the perspectives of frontline nursing staff is critical to identifying both the root causes of such errors and the obstacles to transparent reporting. Despite growing awareness, underreporting remains a persistent issue in many clinical environments, particularly in resource-limited settings such as Pakistan.
Objective: This study aimed to explore nurses' perspectives on the causes of medication administration errors and the barriers that prevent their reporting in public tertiary care hospitals.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from June to October 2022 across two public sector tertiary hospitals in Peshawar, Pakistan. A total of 209 registered nurses, selected through simple random sampling, completed a structured, self-administered questionnaire comprising three sections: demographic data, factors contributing to MAEs (22 items), and barriers to error reporting (13 items). Responses were rated on a 5-point Likert scale. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26, employing descriptive statistics including frequency, percentage, mean, median, and standard deviation.
Results: The most significant contributing factor to MAEs was inadequate staffing (Mean = 4.23, SD = 0.76), followed by heavy workload (Mean = 3.94, SD = 1.15), look-alike/sound-alike drug names (Mean = 3.74, SD = 1.27), similar drug packaging (Mean = 3.48, SD = 1.25), and polypharmacy (Mean = 3.48, SD = 1.26). Less frequent contributors included incorrect pharmacy doses (Mean = 2.53, SD = 1.28) and miscommunication (Mean = 2.59, SD = 1.31). Barriers to error reporting included fear of blame (Mean = 3.94, SD = 1.16), perceived judgment (Mean = 3.51, SD = 1.15), and individual-focused organizational responses (Mean = 3.36, SD = 1.30).
Conclusion: The findings highlight the pressing need to address systemic deficiencies by promoting a non-punitive reporting culture, improving staffing levels, and empowering nurses to report errors without fear of retribution.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Zohaib Surani, Ashfaq Ahmad, Shukria Saleem, Muhammad Suliman Ahmad, Abdullah, Sajid Hameed, Abdul Qadir Khan, Tariq Jamil (Author)
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