A study to evaluate the effectiveness of a structured teaching programme on staff Nurses’ Knowledge regarding prevention of medication administration errors in selected hospitals at Jaipur, Rajasthan

Abstract

Background: Adequate nursing knowledge and staffing are vital for patient safety and quality care. Educational interventions can strengthen nurses’ understanding of clinical practices, thereby reducing medication errors. Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of an educational programme in improving nurses’ knowledge of medication error prevention and to explore the association between knowledge and staffing variables. Methods: A quasi-experimental one-group pre-test-post-test design was conducted among 60 nurses from ICUs, general wards, and emergency units of selected hospitals in Jaipur, Rajasthan. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics, paired t-tests, and chi-square tests. Results: Pre-test scores showed 77% of nurses had inadequate knowledge (mean = 8.00, SD = 5.91). Post-test scores improved significantly (mean = 21.67, SD = 4.75), with 67% achieving adequate knowledge. The paired t value (29.83, p< 0.001) confirmed effectiveness, with significant improvements across all units. Staffing factors (staff strength, patient load, nurse-patient ratio) were significantly associated with knowledge, while demographic variables were not. Conclusion: The intervention effectively improved nurses’ knowledge, underscoring the importance of continuous training and adequate staffing to enhance patient safety.