Percepciones de las enfermeras sobre la seguridad de medicamentos en los sistemas de salud

Abstract

Objective: To know the nurses' perception of the factors that influence the safe administration of medications in the work context of the General University Hospital of Elda (Alicante), Spain. Method: This is a qualitative phenomenological study through interviews semi-structured in which 15 nurses chosen by deliberate sampling participated. Results: The participants expressed concern about the performance of the medication administration procedures, which made it possible to perceive safety as the greatest concern in the study unit. A main category called “knowing” was established, which encompasses all the reflections about the nurse's performance during the medication administration process. The following subcategories are developed from this main category: work overload, insufficient training, distractions, and communication and information failures. Conclusion: Knowing the nurses' perception of the factors that influence the safe administration of medications could facilitate the use of instruments to standardize and reduce variability in the safe administration of medications. As well as improving conditions in work environments and not favoring social, personal and professional stigmatization due to care error.