Awareness of Pediatric Nurses Regarding Drug Preparation and Administration in Gaafer bin auf Children Hospital, Sudan

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to assess the awareness of nurses who care for pediatric patients related with drug preparation and administration conducted in Gaffer Bin Auf children hospital. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from November to December 2015, in Gaffer Bin Auf children hospital, largest pediatric hospital in Khartoum state. The total sample size was 92 participants. The self-administered questionnaire was constructed with a total of 26 questions. For data analysis, we performed nonprobability descriptive study design. Results: The results imply that Majority of respondents aged between 20-30 years (56.5%). Approximately half of the nurses held a bachelor’s degree (52.2%), while the remainder held a diploma (47.8%). A significant proportion of nurses (83.7%) reported no prior training in drug preparation and administration. Most nurses (46.7%) had 2-5 years of clinical experience, and 69.6% worked afternoon and night shifts. Regarding drug preparation and administration, varying levels of knowledge were observed among nurses. Notable percentages of nurses demonstrated awareness in areas such as double-checking during preparation (56.5%) and using distilled water or normal saline for non-contraindicated suspension drugs (56.5%), nurse answered can avoid a mistake during Preparation by prepare medication for one individual at a time with (90.2%), most of nurses have good level of knowledge regarding to drug preparation & administration practice with (65.6%). bachelor's degrees are more likely to demonstrate proficient drug preparation and administration practices compared to those with diplomas, with a significant difference of 94% (p=0.047, AOR: 0.6, 95% CI: 0.03, 1.1). This research indicating that bachelor's degree nurse graduates generally exhibit better educational preparedness for quality and safety. Additionally, participants working morning shifts are 3.4 times more likely to exhibit good drug preparation and administration practices compared to those on night shifts (p=0.011, AOR: 3.4, 95% CI: 1.3, 8.1), and 4.6 times more likely compared to those on afternoon shifts (p=0.015, AOR: 4.6, 95% CI: 1.8, 9.2). Participants with good knowledge of drug preparation and administration practices are 2.614 times more likely to exhibit proficiency compared to those with poor knowledge (p<0.001, AOR: 2.614, 95% CI: 1.78, 3.90). Conclusion: The study revealed significant insights into the demographic characteristics, educational backgrounds, and practices related to drug preparation and administration among nurses. Despite a substantial portion reporting no prior training, varying levels of knowledge were evident, with most nurses demonstrating awareness in key areas such as double-checking during preparation and using appropriate solutions for suspension drugs. While there are areas for improvement, the findings suggest a solid foundation of knowledge among nurses regarding medication safety, highlighting the importance of ongoing education and fostering a culture of continuous learning within healthcare ..............