Medication Calculations Competency among Nurses: A Cross-sectional Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31674/mjn.2024.v16i02.014Abstract
Background: Medication calculation, dispensing, and administration are one of the major tasks of nurses, and medication errors (MEs) are one of the most common errors in the medical field, where some of these errors are fatal. ME can be attributed to many causes, such as medication dosage calculation errors. Accordingly, this study aims to assess Jordanian nurses` competency regarding medication calculation and its associated factors. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study design was used to assess the medication calculation skills of 126 registered nurses in Jordan, representing different departments of three governmental hospitals. Nurses’ dosage calculation skills were evaluated using a self-administered Nursing Medication Calculation Competency Tool (NMCCT) prepared by eXperts in nursing practice assessing nurses’ medication calculation competency in oral, parenteral, and intravenous flow rate. Data was collected; data entry was done on a Microsoft Office EXcel sheet and analysed using SPSS 25.0. Results: The study found that 95% of nurses (n = 120) did not receive mathematical education during their nursing program, and 84.9% (n = 107) reported no medication calculation competency programs at their hospitals. Additionally, 79.7% (n = 113) had not attended any such courses post-graduation, and 90.5% reported a lack of medication administration guidelines at their hospitals. Competency was highest for oral medication calculations (65.1%), followed by intravenous flow rates (57.9%) and parenteral/intravenous medications (48.9%). Only 27.8% (n = 35) were competent in all three areas. Significant factors affecting competency were nurse age, availability of programs, and post-graduation courses (p = 0.045, <0.001). Conclusion: Nursing curricula and continuing education programs should recognize pharmaceutical education, including drug calculation skills, as an essential part of their content. Also, the researchers encourage the adoption of a national-wide learning/competency program that is able to assess the level of competency, track gaps in medication calculation skills, and provide a supportive learning program in this aspect as needed.
Keywords:
Medication Errors, Medication Calculations, Nursing Competency, Nursing Education, Nursing SkillsDownloads
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