Abstract:
Background: The unsafe medication administration practice is one of the most medication
problems causing harm and death to patients and the most important challenges threatening the
healthcare systems worldwide. However, there is much variation in ward-based systems between
and within countries. This, in turn, varies the frequency of different types of unsafe practices.
Studies were focusing to identify the magnitude and predictors of medication administration
errors quantitatively. Such prediction by the researcher may bias the result; as it was objective
based approach.
Objective: To assess the experience of medication administration practices among nurses at the
public hospitals of Harari regional state, the eastern part of Ethiopia, from March 1-31, 2019
Methods: A phenomenological approach qualitative study design was used to explore
contributing factors of medication administration practices from March1- 31, 2019. A total of 11
participants were selected based on the purposive criterion technique. The majority (7/11) of
them was nurses without any position and participated as in-depth interviewee. The tape recorder
was used to record data from in-depth interview sample guide and key informant interview
sample guide questions. The data collection, transcription and translation were simultaneously
processed. The translated data were exported to open code software version 3.4 for writing
memos to anchor codes (subcategory) and coding based on in vivo. The coded data under each
category has been printed and written under their inductive thematic areas.
Result: the study explored factors contributing to unsafe Medication administration practices
under 3 thematic areas i) Culture within organization: Resource and environment; Policy and
process; supervision; collaboration (ii) Precondition challenges: patients conditions and ordered
medication; medication factors and chain of its process(iii) individual nurses factor: personal
motivation; dimension of cognition.
Conclusion: The organizational culture/system was found to be a major factor affecting the
medication administration practice. Therefore, improving organization culture can prevent those
other factors through tailor-made intervention
