Medication Administration Safety Practices and Perceived Barriers Among Nurses: A Cross-Sectional Study in Northern Nigeria

INTRODUCTION: Safe medication administration is a vital process that ensures patients' safety and quality of life. However, reports of medication errors and their solutions are lacking. The aim of this study was to examine the correlation between medication administration safety practices and perceived barriers among nurses in northern Nigeria. METHODS: A descriptive approach to research and cross-sectional design was applied to this study. The study population included nurse employees of the Zamfara State Government in northern Nigeria. Simple random sampling and systematic sampling were used in selecting the respondents of the study. Descriptive analysis and the Spearman rank-order correlation were used in data analysis. RESULTS: Fewer than 50% of the respondents were found to agree or strongly agree that they identify allergic patients before administering medication. Most of the respondents had agreed or strongly agreed with the following as barriers to medication administration safety practices: lack of appropriate coordination between physicians and nurses, and lack of favorable policies and facilities. There was a very weak positive correlation between medication safety practices and barriers to medication safety practices, and the correlation was statistically significant (r(s) = 0.180, P = 0.009). CONCLUSION: There was a high level of desirable medication administration safety practices that the respondents followed. Nonidentification of a patient's allergic status and inadequate information on the effects of medications were among the identified medication administration practice gaps. There should be policies guiding medication administration in all hospitals in Zamfara, Nigeria.