Nurses' attitude and intention of medication administration error reporting.
OBJECTIVE
The Aims of this study were to explore the effects of nurses' attitudes and intentions regarding medication administration error reporting on actual reporting behaviours.


BACKGROUND
Underreporting of medication errors is still a common occurrence. Whether attitude and intention towards medication administration error reporting connect to actual reporting behaviours remain unclear.


METHODS
This study used a cross-sectional design with self-administered questionnaires, and the theory of planned behaviour was used as the framework for this study.


METHODS
A total of 596 staff nurses who worked in general wards and intensive care units in a hospital were invited to participate in this study. The researchers used the instruments measuring nurses' attitude, nurse managers' and co-workers' attitude, report control, and nurses' intention to predict nurses' actual reporting behaviours. Data were collected from September-November 2013. Path analyses were used to examine the hypothesized model.


RESULTS
Of the 596 nurses invited to participate, 548 (92%) completed and returned a valid questionnaire. The findings indicated that nurse managers' and co-workers' attitudes are predictors for nurses' attitudes towards medication administration error reporting. Nurses' attitudes also influenced their intention to report medication administration errors; however, no connection was found between intention and actual reporting behaviour.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings reflected links among colleague perspectives, nurses' attitudes, and intention to report medication administration errors. The researchers suggest that hospitals should increase nurses' awareness and recognition of error occurrence.


CONCLUSIONS
Regardless of nurse managers' and co-workers' attitudes towards medication administration error reporting, nurses are likely to report medication administration errors if they detect them. Management of medication administration errors should focus on increasing nurses' awareness and recognition of error occurrence.
Nursing Department, Chronic Diseases and Health Promotion Research Center, ChiaYi Campus, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Chiayi, Taiwan.
Chang-Chiao
CC
Hung
Department of Nursing, ChiaYi Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chiayi, Taiwan.
Tsui-Ping
TP
Chu
Nursing Department, Chronic Diseases and Health Promotion Research Center, ChiaYi Campus, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Chiayi, Taiwan.
Bih-O
BO
Lee
Department of Nursing, ChiaYi Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chiayi, Taiwan.
Chia-Chi
CC
Hsiao
D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008508:Medication Errors / Q000451:nursing*; D009736:Nursing Process; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology*; D012308:Risk Management; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan
intention of voluntary report; medication administration errors; patient safety; theory of planned behaviour