Nurses' Knowledge of High-alert Medications in Pediatric Care
Conditions
Keywords
high-alert medications, nurses knowledge, medication errors
Brief summary
This study checks how well nurses at Mansoura University Children's Hospital know about high-alert medications (HAMs). These are drugs that can cause serious harm if given incorrectly. We used a questionnaire to assess their knowledge and identify any gaps. The goal is to improve training and reduce medication errors in the hospital.
Detailed description
Background: Medication errors (MEs) are a major cause of patient harm, especially in pediatric settings. High-alert medications (HAMs) are drugs that carry a heightened risk of causing significant patient harm when used in error. Nurses play a critical role in the safe administration of HAMs. This hospital-wide audit aims to evaluate nurses' knowledge regarding the administration and regulation of HAMs at Mansoura University Children's Hospital. Objectives: 1. To assess the level of knowledge about HAMs among nurses. 2. To identify factors associated with sufficient knowledge of HAMs. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire distributed to all nurses involved in medication administration at Mansoura University Children's Hospital. The questionnaire covered identification of HAMs, storage, administration protocols, and error prevention strategies. Data was collected from \[February to October 2025\] and analyzed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression. Setting: Mansoura University Children's Hospital, Mansoura, Egypt. Participants: All registered nurses working in the hospital and involved in medication administration. Outcome Measures: * Primary: Level of knowledge about HAMs (scored as sufficient/insufficient). * Secondary: Factors associated with sufficient knowledge (e.g., years of experience, training).
Interventions
None listed
Sponsors
Omar Hamdy
Study design
Observational model
OTHER
Time perspective
CROSS_SECTIONAL
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* \- Registered nurses working at Mansoura University Children's Hospital. * Involved in medication administration. * At least 6 months of experience in the hospital.
Exclusion criteria
* Non-nursing staff. * Nurses not involved in direct patient care or medication administration.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Proportion of nurses with sufficient knowledge of high-alert medications | February 2025 to October 2025 | Percentage of nurses scoring ≥70% on the questionnaire assessing knowledge of high-alert medications (identification, administration, storage, and error prevention). |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Factors associated with sufficient knowledge of high-alert medications | February 2025 to October 2025 | Identification of factors (e.g., years of experience, training, department) associated with scoring ≥70% on the knowledge questionnaire using multivariate logistic regression. |
Countries
Egypt
Outcome results
None listed