Antipsychotic medication side effects knowledge amongst registered mental health nurses in England: A national survey
Authors: Begum Fareha , Mutsatsa Stanley , Gul Noreen , Thomas Ben , Flood Chris 
Published: January 2020

Accessible summary

What is known on the subject?

Research findings indicate the percentage of knowledge‐related errors in medicines management is high, accounting for approximately 75% of all errors, with insufficient knowledge levels one of the most significant contributors of medication errors. Patients should be able to trust nurses to engage therapeutically and actively listen to their needs and concerns, responding using skills that are helpful, providing information that is clear, accurate, meaningful and free from jargon. However, without knowledge of pharmacology, it is impossible for nurses to be able to provide adequate advice.

What the paper adds to the existing knowledge?

This study has examined an area that had not yet been systematically examined previously, which draws together previous research findings on mental health nurses' knowledge of adverse events, including side effects and medication errors, related to antipsychotic medication within NHS inpatient settings.

What are the implications for practice?

A recent study has found that almost three‐quarters (73%) of patients taking antipsychotic medication reported side effects to some degree. This high number of people experiencing antipsychotic medication side effects is likely to compromise care, especially in situations where nurses have inadequate knowledge of side effects and are unable to provide effective advice to patients.

The findings from this study allow the mental health nursing profession an opportunity to reflect on the best means to increase knowledge and increase patient safety awareness and benefits for mental health service users.

Introduction

Antipsychotic medications play a significant role in the treatment and recovery of people with several psychiatric disorders. However, research findings indicate mental health nurses are insufficiently knowledgeable about antipsychotic medication side effects.

Aim

To assess practising mental health nurses' knowledge of antipsychotic medication side effects using a Multiple‐Choice Questionnaire (MCQ) across National Health Service (NHS) Trusts in England.

Hypothesis

Knowledge of antipsychotic medication side effects amongst registered mental health nurses is related to their academic qualification, clinical banding and length of experience.

Method

A national survey of registered mental health nurses was carried out using an online questionnaire which was disseminated by Research and Development departments.

Results

A total of 504 questionnaires were returned, 245 of which had full data and further analysed. The mean score for the sample was 14.4 and only 21 participants attained a mark of >80%.

Implications for Practice

Two out of three of our hypotheses (that length of experience and clinical banding are directly related to knowledge of antipsychotic medication side effects) were supported. Our study found many nurses have a suboptimal working knowledge of antipsychotic medication side effects which has the potential to compromise care. Strategies need to be put in place to enhance pharmacology knowledge.