Özet:

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study is to assess nurses’ levels of knowledge regarding medication errors and their views on reporting medication errors. METHODS: The research adopted a descriptive, cross-sectional design and the study sample comprised 114 nurses. Data were gathered using two assessment forms: "Views on Reporting Medication Errors" and "Assessment of Knowledge of Medication Errors". RESULTS: The mean age of nurses was 29.37±7.10 years, 51.8% of the sample completed an undergraduate nursing program. The mean score of the "Assessment of Knowledge on Medication Errors" was 82.52±17.19. Nearly all nurses (94.7%) completed training in medication safety, 78.1% of nurses perceived the act of medication error reporting as a successful criterion. In the case of reporting medication errors, 8.8% of nurses perceived that reporting medication errors can be considered a personal incompetency, 4.4% reported that it would put their job in jeopardy, and 4.4% stated it would be of no use to report errors. One out of every three nurses (28.9%) claimed any problem could be settled among themselves, 9.6% of them stated that they do not know how to report errors, and 0.9% of the nurses stated that there was no need for reporting any errors. CONCLUSION: In training sessions which encourage the staff to report medication errors for patient safety, it is important not to consider a medication error reporting system as a punishment for employees but as a crucial part of the system. It is suggested that corporate strategies be developed and training programs be planned in order to improve nurses’ skills for better reporting of medication errors.

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