Factors Associated with Medication Administration Errors Among Nurses in Hargeisa Hospitals, Somaliland

Background: Unsafe medication practices cause the most preventable harm to patients in healthcare systems globally. A major portion of these incidents happens during medication administration and nurses are key in both causing and preventing these errors.
Objective: This study aimed to investigate the factors linked to Medication Administration Errors (MAEs) among nurses at Hargeisa Hospitals. Method: Cross-sectional study design was used and data was collected via a structured self-administered questionnaire, focusing on MAEs and related factors like socio-demographic characteristics and work-related aspects.
Results: The magnitude of MAEs revealed the study was a rate of 52.9%, with wrong time administering being the most common issue (28.0% of incidents). Significant predictors associated with errors included interruptions during medication administration, nurse fatigue during shifts, and the availability of medication administration guidelines. Fatigued nurses were 1.74 times more likely to make errors (AOR=1.74, 95% CI: 1.05, 2.85), while interruptions increased the odds by 2.22 (AOR=2.22, 95% CI: 1.25, 3.95). Nurses without medication administration guidelines had 1.62 times higher odds of errors (AOR=1.62, 95% CI: 1.01, 2.61) compared to those with guidelines. Barriers to reporting MAEs included inconsistencies in error recognition, lack of clear definitions, and fear of adverse consequences from reporting errors.
Conclusion: The magnitude of MAEs was 52.6%. Factors associated with MAEs included interruptions, nurse fatigue, and the absence of guidelines. To reduce MAEs, efforts should focus on minimizing interruptions, managing nurse fatigue, and ensuring clear medication administration guidelines. Addressing barriers to error reporting, such as unclear definitions and fear of consequences, is also crucial for improving patient safety.