DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF STANDARDIZED EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS FOR PEDIATRIC MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION AT TAM ANH GENERAL HOSPITAL: CHANGES IN NURSES’ KNOWLEDGE AND CAREGIVERS’ UNDERSTANDING
Main Article Content
Abstract
Background: Children are particularly vulnerable to medication errors because of their immature physiological characteristics and their dependence on caregivers for medication administration. Previous studies have reported that the prevalence of medication administration errors in the home setting ranges from 30% to 80% [1]. At Tam Anh General Hospital, pediatric patients account for a substantial proportion of outpatient visits and hospital admissions; however, standardized educational materials on pediatric medication administration for nurses and caregivers had not been available.
Objectives: (1) To develop and implement standardized educational materials for the administration of pediatric dosage forms; (2) To evaluate changes in caregivers’ understanding and nurses’ knowledge immediately after a counseling and training program based on the standardized materials.
Methods: A before-and-after interventional study was conducted. Standardized educational materials were developed for nine commonly used pediatric dosage forms, including written instructions, illustrated leaflets, and QR code-linked instructional videos. Nurses received training, and caregivers received medication counseling based on the standardized materials. Changes in nurses’ knowledge and caregivers’ understanding were described using standardized questionnaires administered before and immediately after program implementation.
Results: Among caregivers, the mean correct response rate across the nine medication dosage-form categories increased from 29.7% before counseling to 100% immediately after counseling. Among nurses (n = 182), the proportion achieving a good level of knowledge increased from 23.1% to 80.8%. In the pediatric department (n = 70), the proportion of nurses with good knowledge increased from 27.1% to 90.0%.
Conclusions: The standardized pediatric medication administration educational materials successfully standardized training and counseling activities within the hospital. Immediate post-intervention evaluation demonstrated substantial improvements in caregivers’ understanding and nurses’ knowledge compared with baseline. Further long-term studies are warranted to evaluate knowledge retention, changes in medication administration practices, and the impact on medication safety outcomes.
Keywords
pediatric medication use, caregiver education, pharmacist counseling, medication safety, nursing standardization
Article Details
References
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