Assessment of nurses' medication problems in relation to their pharmacological competencies in an Intensive Care Unit of a public hospital in the city of Rosario in September 2021

Abstract

Introduction: Pharmacological competence in Nursing is fundamental to guarantee patient safety and prevent errors related to medication administration, especially in Intensive Care Units (ICU), where patient conditions demand precise pharmacological management. This study aimed to describe the assessment of nurses' medication problems in relation to their pharmacological competencies in an ICU of a public hospital in the city of Rosario in September 2021.
Methods: A non-experimental, descriptive, cross-sectional and quantitative approach study was conducted. The population consisted of 27 nurses who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. For data collection, a self-administered survey was used, composed of 31 closed questions and one open question. The instrument was validated by means of a pilot test applied to four nursing supervisors with experience in ICUs. The results were analyzed exclusively for this specific population.
Results: The nurses surveyed showed a predominance of technical training and expressed dissatisfaction with the pharmacological training received during their academic stage. Although they showed interest in continuing education, they pointed out that many of the previous training courses lacked specific content in pharmacology. Knowledge of general pharmacology reached a level of correct answers above 75%, while in therapeutic pharmacology the results were favorable for drugs frequently used in the ICU and regular for those less frequently used. The most relevant problems identified included pharmacological learning limited to the work environment, individual decisions in drug preparation and administration, and uncritical execution of medical prescriptions.
Conclusions: The study evidences the need to strengthen the pharmacological training of nurses, both in the academic stage and in continuous training, in order to improve safety in the administration of medications in the UTI. The results underline the importance of integrating educational strategies that include specific pharmacology content and that encourage a critical and reflective approach in professional practice. These actions will contribute to prevent errors, optimize the quality of care and consolidate pharmacological competencies in the nursing team.