Deliberate practice of medication administration among nursing students: a pilot study.

Abstract

Objectives: The objective of this pilot study was to investigate the deliberate practice teaching method with medication administration skills to prepare for a future larger study.

Methods: A multi-methods repeated measures design was used. Pre-licensure nursing students engaged in deliberate practice across two study visits that were spaced four to eight weeks apart. Simulated scenarios served as the pre-posttests.

Results: Study procedures were feasible to implement. Medication error rates decreased from 80.9 to 22.2 %. Students voiced a need for more skills practice and that deliberate practice is beneficial.

Conclusions: The deliberate practice teaching method was feasible to implement, skills improved, and students attributed their improvements to the teaching method. Skills were retained over a 4-8 week span suggesting that skill decay did not occur in this timeframe.

Implications for international audience: Worldwide, improvements in medication administration safety are required. Changes in the methods used to teach medication administration may contribute to these necessary improvements.