An Exploration of Medication Errors Generated by Baccalaureate Nursing Students Using Electronic Medication Administration Record (eMAR) Technology in Clinical Simulation

Background: Medication errors continue to be a significant issue within both academic and clinical settings, posing substantial threats to the safety and well-being of patients. Through Bandura’s theory of self-efficacy, nursing students’ self-efficacy (confidence) and preparedness related to medication administration were examined to investigate their influence on the generation of medication errors in clinical simulation. Research Questions: The research questions of this study aimed to examine the generation of medication errors and the differences that may exist based on nursing students’ perceived confidence and preparedness. Method: An exploratory secondary analysis of previously collected data that examined nursing students’ generation of errors in clinical simulation was used. Descriptive statistics were completed, and inferential analyses were used to examine differences between variables of interest. Results: A total of 178 medication errors were generated by the nursing students (N = 69) included in this analysis. Verification-related errors were the most frequently generated error during the medication administration process in clinical simulation. No statistically significant (p< .05) differences were found between nursing students’ perceived confidence, preparedness, and the generation of medication errors with an exception noted for scanning-related errors (p= .04). Conclusion: Based on the findings of this analysis, nursing students continue to generate medication errors within clinical simulation. Students’ perceived confidence and preparedness did not produce statistically significant differences with the generation of medication errors. Further examinations of the variables and contextual factors related to safe medication administration practices is required to inform education and practice. Keywords:Medication errors, nursing students, electronic medication administration record, simulation, self-efficacy, confidence, preparedness, patient safety

Name thesis:degree_name

M Sc

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Nursing

Grantor dc:publisher

The University of Western Ontario

Year dc:date.issued

2018

Author dc:creator

• Chan, Ryan

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Booth, Richard

• Medication errors
• nursing students
• electronic medication administration record
• simulation
• self-efficacy
• preparedness

Language dc:language.iso

en_ca

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14721/33180

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:uwo.scholaris.ca:20.500.14721/33180