Collaboratively planning for medicines administration: a survey evaluation

Aims This survey evaluated the experiences of mental health nurses who had
undergone assessment of their competence in the administration of medicines using
established assessment frameworks.
Background Medicines management activities have at times been widely criticized.
Joint collaborations between Higher Education Authorities and the National Health
Service in education and training can start to address some of these criticisms.
Method A questionnaire using 22 closed and open response questions was distributed
to 827 practising mental health nurses and 44 graduate mental health nurses.
Results A total of 70 registered and 41 graduate mental health nurses who had
completed the assessment of administration competency frameworks responded to
the survey. Response rates were 24 and 96%, respectively. The assessment frameworks
were received positively. Environmental factors were perceived as the main
barrier to medicines safety; however, this was not reflected in how this aspect of the
competency framework was perceived.
Implications for nursing management The administration of medicines is an area of
mental health and all fields of nursing practice that needs attention. The use of
competency frameworks as outlined in the �Medicine with Respect Project� is one
strategy to achieve the improvement in this essential clinical skill.
Keywords: competence, medication management, medicines administration, mental
health nursing, survey evaluation