Medication Errors and Moral Distress in Senior Nursing Students: A Cross-Sectional Descriptive Correlation Study

Abstract

Medication errors are recognized as a significant threat to patient safety and cause Moral Distress in nursing students. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between Medication Errors and Moral Distress in senior nursing students at Kerman University of medical sciences in 2017. This research was across-sectional descriptive correlation study conducted on 120 senior nursing students at Kerman University of medical sciences. The census method was used in this study. Data collection tools included background information, Corley’s Moral distress Questionnaire and Medication Error Questionnaire. Data were analyzed by parametric and nonparametric tests, spearman correlation coefficients and poison regression through SPSS software (version 19). The result indicated that average and standard deviation for total values of medication errors were (5.13±4.9). Maximum mean and standard deviation of errors in the education system was (2.4±2.3). Intensity and frequency of moral distress were (2.44±0.9) and (2.27±0.83), respectively. There was a direct and statistical relationship between medication errors and moral distress, (p=0.04). According to Regression test, the most affective variables on medication errors were independent job, frequency of moral distress, pharmacology education and accommodation status. Considering the impact of medication errors on Patient Safety, the study suggested that training and nursing clinics should take action to change the Method of Teaching Clinical Pharmacology, have more supervision on nursing student’s job, and reduce moral distress in clinical milieu. Similarly, these factors have a direct impact on medication errors