Medication administration errors and predictive role of resilience and emotional exhaustion in a sample of Iranian nurses

BackgroundMedication errors, mainly in the administration phase are, one of the most prevalent and critical problems in healthcare, so it is crucial to examine the factors that influence the incidence of medication administration errors among nurses. Nurses' burnout caused by emotional exhaustion often results in frequent errors, compromising patient safety. Conversely, nurses' resilience level has been linked to promoting professional development and enhancing the level of patient safety and care. This study aimed to ascertain whether nurse emotional exhaustion and resilience can predict medication administration errors. MethodsA cross-sectional descriptive correlational study was conducted on 272 nurses from February 2024 to April 2024 in the teaching hospitals affiliated to Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran. The data of the study was collected through the demographic information questionnaire, the medication administration errors questionnaire, the short version of the Resilience Scale (RS-14), and the emotional exhaustion scale. Data were analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistics such as independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and multiple linear regression in SPSS-22. Resultsnurses' mean scores for medication administration errors, emotional exhaustion, and resilience were 10.29 +/- 10.02, 29.97 +/- 7.92, and 56.65 +/- 8.28, respectively. The regression model indicated that the rise in resilience, age, and work experiences are associated with decreased levels of medication administration errors as much as 0.42, 0.51, and 0.80 times respectively. This model explained 23% of the variance in medication administration errors in nurses (F = 18.054, p < 0.001). ConclusionsThe level of resilience among nurses was found to play a very important role not only in preventing medication administration errors but also in preventing nurse emotional exhaustion. Accordingly, teaching positive coping methods when dealing with stressful situations must be given top priority in all healthcare settings to promote nurses' standard of care, reduce the likelihood of medical errors, and prevent emotional exhaustion. Additionally, nurses must receive continuous, dedicated training on drug knowledge, including side effects, as well as the correct techniques of drug administration.