What leads to medication errors in polish hospitals from the perspectives of nurses? a multicenter cross-sectional survey

Background Patient safety in pharmacotherapy is a critical element of proper medical care, and when properly implemented, it delivers real therapeutic benefits. The project aimed to analyse the causes of medication administration errors in hospitals with varying referral levels. The study was part of a larger research project. Methods From the 585 hospitals in Poland, 50 were randomly selected. The 488 nurses agreed to participate in the study. Four hundred sixty-eight completed questionnaires were finally included in the statistical analysis. Research data collection began in 2023, and the entire process took a year. A descriptive analysis for socio-demographic data was used. Factor analysis and varimax rotation were used to transform large amounts of raw, complex data into a clear, interpretable structural model. Results The Polish version of the Medication Administration Error scale was validated and rechecked with the alpha–Cronbach index. A part A of the questionnaire, which consists 29 statements about the reason of Medication Administration Errors, achieved 0.93 – with is considered as a very good. The main results showed that the most common reasons for medication error in the administration process in intensive and internal units are: appearance of drug, drug similarity, and illegible orders. On an equal footing in terms of the number of points obtained (AVG > 4), other identified factors are: Pharmacists are not available 24 h a day” (item 12) and “Brand-name drugs are replaced by other generics (item 13). A huge problem is the lack of training on new drugs used in the hospital, and the frequent use of abbreviations. The second, no less important issue, especially in the more conservative units, is interruption in the preparation process and staff shortages. Conclusion Most of the factors that lead to MAE, as identified by nursing personnel in internal and intensive care units, can be modified through management processes using prepared tools, scientific recommendations, and technologies. Some areas, such as the shortage of medical personnel in conservative general wards, require further work and up-to-date legislation.