Date of Award

11-10-2022

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Nursing (MScN)

First Advisor

Dr. Khairulnissa Ajani

Second Advisor

Ms. Shireen Shehzad Bhamani

Third Advisor

Ms. Shirin Rahim

Department

School of Nursing and Midwifery, Pakistan

Abstract

Background: Nurses are the backbone of hospitals, and their most important job is to administer medications to patients, which include routine as well as high alert medications (HAMs). HAMs are defined as a subclass of medications that, when prescribed or administered inappropriately, are more likely to harm patients than other medications, as they have a narrow therapeutic index. Insufficient knowledge and practices of nurses regarding HAMs are one of the contributing factors in medication errors (MEs). Hence, nurses need to have sound knowledge and practice regarding HAMs. No published study could be found on the knowledge and practices regarding HAMs in Pakistan.
Objectives: The objective of this study was to measure the knowledge and practices of nurses regarding HAMs, including narcotics, concentrated electrolytes (CE), anticoagulants, thrombolytic, look-alike and sound-alike medications (LASA), insulin, and neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBA), in the emergency department (ED) of a private tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan.
Methodology: A cross-sectional descriptive design was utilized to assess the knowledge and practices of nurses regarding HAMs. A total of 92 participants were recruited for the assessment of knowledge and practice, through total population sampling and consecutive sampling techniques, respectively. A survey and an observational checklist were used to investigate the knowledge and practices of nurses regarding HAMs, respectively.
Findings: Out of the total participants, 87% had a satisfactory knowledge level of all seven categories of HAMs, while only 27% had a satisfactory level of practice regarding HAMs.
Conclusion: This cross-sectional study signifies the need for effective theoretical knowledge implementation into clinical practice. Further research on challenges and barriers regarding effective implementation of theory into practice is recommended to overcome the theory-practice gap.

First Page

1

Last Page

69

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