Nurses' knowledge of high-alert medications: A randomized controlled trial

Aim: This study explores the effectiveness of an educational intervention on nurses' knowledge regarding the administration of high-alert medications. Background: Nurses' insufficient knowledge is considered to be one of the most significant factors contributing to medication errors. Most medication errors cause no harm to patients, but the incorrect administration of high-alert medications can result in serious consequences. A previous study by the same authors validated 20 true/false questions concerning high-alert medications and suggested that the topic be taught to nurses (Hsaio, et al., 2010. Nurses' knowledge of high-alert medications: Instrument development and validation. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 66(1), 177-199.). Methods: A randomized controlled trial was employed in 2009 in Taiwan. Twenty-one hospital wards and 232 nurses were randomized to control and intervention groups. The sixty-minute educational intervention was based on the viewing of a Powerpoint file developed for this study. The results were compared pre-intervention and six weeks post-intervention by means of a test comprising the 20 questions regarding high-alert medications. Findings: The pre-intervention baseline data for correct answer rate was 75.8% (mean; n = 232). After the intervention, the post-test showed significant improvement in the intervention group (n = 113) (pre vs. post; 77.2 ± 15.5 vs. 94.7 ± 7.6; paired t = 10.82, p < 0.0001) but not in the control group (n = 112) (pre vs. post; 74.3 ± 14.7 vs. 75.5 ± 14.2; paired t = 0.60; p = 0.247). Conclusions: Educational intervention appears to be effective in strengthening nurses' knowledge of high-alert medications. The Powerpoint file presented teaching material which is both suitable and feasible for hospital-based continuing education.