Assessment of Nurses’ Performance Regarding High Alert Medications in Cardiac Care Units

Abstract

Background: High alert medications (HAMs) are medications that have an increased risk of causing significant patient harm when used erroneously. So, staff nurses should have adequate knowledge and practices to be able to manage HAM administration process in cardiac care units. Aim of this study: the aim of this study was to assess nurses’ performance regarding high alert medications in Cardiac Care Units.

Subjects and Methods: Research design: A descriptive research design was utilized to conduct the aim of the study. Setting: The study was conducted in two Cardiac Care Units in Cardiac and thoracic building at Sednawy Hospital.

Subjects: The Study sample included a convenience sample involved available nurses composed of 40 nurses working in the previously mentioned setting.

Tools of data collection: Data were collected through two main tools. A structured interviewing questionnaire for nurses and Nurses practice observational checklist.

Results: There was a highly statistically correlation between nurses' knowledge level and their practice level regarding high alert medications, with a positive correlation between them. Conclusion:    In the light of the present study findings, it can be concluded that most of the studied nurses had total unsatisfactory level of knowledge and most of them had total unsatisfactory level of practice regarding high alert medications. Moreover there was a highly statistically significant correlation between the studied nurses’ total knowledge and total practice regarding HAMs.

 Recommendation: The study recommended conducting training program and workshops periodically for nurses about high alert medications to improve their performance and enhancing the patient care level and the quality of care provided to this group of patients.