Abstract:
Introduction: Medication administration errors actually reach patients and pose a threat
to patient safety resulting in an increase in mortality rates, length of hospital stay, and
related costs. It has an impact on patients, healthcare professionals, and health
institutions. It is highly prevalent in Ethiopia which ranges from 51.8% to 90.8%. Knowing
the magnitude and associated factors of medication administration error will help to
provide information for health policy-makers to design and implement effective
interventions to reduce its negative impact.
Objective: This study aimed to assess the magnitude and associated factors of
medication administration error among nurses at Northwest Amhara Region Referral
Hospitals.
Methods: Institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from February to March
2019. Simple random sampling technique was employed to select 348 nurses. Structured
pre tested self-administered questionnaire and observational checklist were used to
collect data. The data were entered in Epi-info version 7, analyzed using SPSS version
20 and presented by tables and graphs. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regressions
were computed to identify the factors associated with medication administration error. Pvalue
<
0.05
and
adjusted
odds
ratio
were
used
to
declare
the
significance
and
strength
of
association.
Result: One hundred seventy-eight (54%) of the respondents made medication
administration error in the last 12 months. Only ten (5%) of the 200 observed nurses were
administered medications without any breach in any of the six rights of medication
administration. Factors like poor knowledge [AOR= 5.98; 95% CI (2.39,14.94)], poor
communication [AOR=2.94; 95% CI (1.34, 6.46)], stress [AOR = 5.41; 95% CI (2.53,
11.57)], interruption during medication administration [AOR = 4.70, 95 % CI (2.42, 9.10)]
and night shift [AOR = 2.79, 95 % CI (1.42, 5.46)] were significantly associated with
medication administration error.
Conclusion and recommendation: The magnitude of medication administration error
was high. Poor knowledge, poor communication, stress, night shift, and interruption were
significantly associated with medication administration errors. Strengthening institutional
medication administration regulations and guidelines and minimizing interruption during
medication administration would be helpful for minimizing medication administration
errors.
Key words: magnitude, medication administration, medication administration error,
Nurse
