A Quantitative Analysis of the Effect of Simulation on Medication Administration in Nursing Students.

Medication errors are a leading cause of injury and death in health care, and nurses are the last line of defense for patient safety. Nursing educators must develop curriculum to effectively teach nursing students to prevent medication errors and protect the public. The purpose of this quantitative, quasi-experimental study was to determine if high-fidelity simulation was an effective learning strategy to train associate degree nursing (ADN) students to reduce medication errors. Kolb’s Experiential learning theory provided the framework of the study. ADN students applied past knowledge to an adult medical-surgical simulation and made errors when administering medication. The students participated in self-reflection during a debriefing session. The students applied new knowledge in a second simulation and made fewer errors. This study determined that the ADN students made fewer medication errors after participating in high-fidelity simulation (p<.05). This is the first study that addresses using simulation as a learning strategy to decrease medication errors in ADN students, filling a gap in the research. Dedication I would like to dedicate this work to my husband who has endured, listened, and supported me without question. I would like to thank my husband for encouraging me to pursue this lifelong dream and listening to me describe at length the research process, statistics, and simulation. My children are too young to understand, but they helped motivate me to complete this project and show them that they are capable of anything with hard work and perseverance. I would also like to dedicate my success to my mom who accepts me for who I am, loves me unconditionally, and someone I greatly respect and admire. I would like to say that this doctoral journey would not have been possible without support from my Grandpa Ben and Grandma Peggy who taught me that I could do anything that I set my mind to and that I would do something great with my career, my Grandpa Eddie who always reminded me of how important and precious life was and my Aunt Andee, an incredible nurse and mentor, who I always wanted to be when I grew up! Acknowledgements This is my chance to express my deepest appreciation for those individuals who helped me complete this research study and accomplish a lifelong goal. Dr. Karen Halvorson stepped in when I had no dissertation chair and provided me with enduring guidance, patience, and positive enthusiasm for this work, and I will be forever grateful. Dr. Ruth Rucker also agreed to serve as a committee member and offered me quick and honest feedback to ensure my success. Dr. Karen Cowell provided me with support and helped me with the vital details I may have overlooked. I would also like to thank Dr. Pauly O’Neill who wrote the data collection tool for my study and graciously shared it, helping to inspire my research design. Lyndi Vela, Kelsey David, and Elizabeth Sundberg were essential to my data collection and helped me stay organized during the data collection process. Lyndi was with me every day, and I am sincerely grateful for her assistance. I thank Wendy Carter, my student, mentee, colleague, and friend who helped inspire, motivate, and keep me going when times were stressful. Every time I spoke with her I gained a new perspective or new idea that helped me move forward. I would like to thank my undergraduate teachers who helped me build a foundation of knowledge and love of learning that assisted my journey into education. Antelope Valley College was instrumental in allowing me to collect my data in a state of the art simulation laboratory. I must recognize my colleagues who provided me with unending support and positive words of encouragement at every turn. I genuinely thank Aeron Zentner for helping me wade through the statistics and for providing essential guidance in my data analysis process. I would like to extend my appreciation to my University of Phoenix residency facilitators, especially Dr. Leona Lobell who taught me that feedback is a gift. Lastly, I would like to convey my appreciation and pride to my students who saw the value of participating in a study that would advance the profession of nursing.