Patient safety and technology-driven medication - A qualitative study on how graduate nursing students navigate through complex medication administration

Background: The technology-driven medication process is complex, involving advanced technologies,
patient participation and increased safety measures. Medication administration errors are frequently
reported, with nurses implicated in 26e38% of in-hospital cases. This points to the need for new ways of
educating nursing students in today's medication administration.
Aim: To explore nursing students' experiences and competences with the technology-driven medication
administration process.
Methods: 16 pre-graduate nursing students were included in two focus group interviews which were
recorded, transcribed and analyzed using the systematic horizontal phenomenological-hermeneutic
template methodology.
Results: The interviews uncovered that understanding the technologies; professionalism and patient
safety are three crucial elements in the medication process. The students expressed positivity and
confidence in using technology, but were fearful of committing serious medication errors. From the
nursing students' perspective, experienced nurses deviate from existing guidelines, leaving them feeling
isolated in practical learning situations.
Conclusion: Having an unclear nursing role model for the technology-driven medication process, nursing
students face difficulties in identifying and adopting best practices. The impact of using technology on
the frequency, type and severity of medication errors; the technologies implications on nursing professionalism
and the nurses ability to secure patient adherence to the medication process, still remains to
be studied.