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Conference Proceedings - School of Nursing & Midwifery - Trinity ...

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<strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nursing</strong> & <strong>Midwifery</strong>, <strong>Trinity</strong> College Dublin: 8 th Annual Interdisciplinary Research <strong>Conference</strong><br />

Transforming Healthcare Through Research, Education & Technology: 7 th – 9 th November 2007<br />

<strong>Conference</strong> <strong>Proceedings</strong><br />

Back to contents page<br />

Medication administration to older adults with mental illness:<br />

a survey <strong>of</strong> nurses’ views and an observational study <strong>of</strong><br />

nursing practice in an inpatient setting<br />

Ge<strong>of</strong>f. Dickens 1 RMN, BSc (Hons), Dip N<br />

Jean Stubbs 2 MSc, MRPharmS<br />

Camilla. Haw 3 MA, MB, BChir, MRCP, MRCPsych<br />

1. Research Nurse/ Research Co-ordinator, St Andrew’s Hospital,<br />

Northampton. NN1 5DG.<br />

Telephone: 01604 616265<br />

Fax: 01604 616345<br />

email: gdickens@standrew.co.uk<br />

2. Head Pharmacist, St Andrew’s Hospital, Northampton. NN1 5DG.<br />

Telephone 01604 616217<br />

email: jstubbs@standrew.co.uk<br />

3. Consultant Psychiatrist, Isham House, St Andrew’s Hospital,<br />

Northampton. NN1 5DG.<br />

Telephone 01604 616192<br />

email: chaw@standrew.co.uk<br />

ABSTRACT<br />

Background: Medication Administration Errors (MAE’s) cause<br />

significant patient morbidity and mortality but little is known about<br />

the difficulties experienced by nurses administering medication in<br />

psychiatric settings or about their related training needs.<br />

Aim: To describe the issues faced by nurses undertaking medication<br />

administration in an elderly psychiatric setting and identify their<br />

training needs.<br />

Methods: We used a questionnaire survey to explore nurses<br />

(N=27) views and needs, and observed nurses (N=9) administering<br />

medication over the course <strong>of</strong> 36 medication rounds (1423 doses).<br />

Results: Most nurses (85.2%) had undertaken training in relation<br />

to medication administration in the past year and two-thirds<br />

(65.2%) reported that the training received was adequate and<br />

relevant. MAE’s were frequent (one in every four doses) and, while<br />

nurses commonly faced difficult situations when administering<br />

medications, they had received little formal guidance.<br />

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