Healthcare professionals’ perspectives on organizational, human, and health-system factors relevant to medication errors in Kwara State, Nigeria: a cross-sectional study

Medication errors can reflect interactions among individual, organizational, human, and health-system factors. Understanding healthcare professionals’ perspectives may guide context-appropriate safety interventions. To assess medication-error knowledge, perceived contributing factors, institutional safeguards, reporting practices, and improvement strategies among healthcare professionals in Kwara State, Nigeria. This cross-sectional secondary analysis included 450 physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and pharmacy technicians from nine facilities selected across three senatorial districts. Data were collected using a pretested structured questionnaire. Ten scored items classified knowledge as good (6–10) or poor (0–5). Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and multivariable logistic regression were applied. Overall, 271 (60.2%) met the study-defined threshold for good knowledge. Commonly perceived contributors were poor handwriting (62.9%), inadequate communication (54.9%), workload (52.0%), look-alike/sound-alike medicines (48.0%), and inadequate training (45.1%). Electronic prescribing (15.6%) and barcode administration (8.7%) were infrequently reported. Physicians, pharmacy technicians, experience ≥ 11 years, and reported electronic prescribing were associated with higher odds of good knowledge; male sex and reported training-programme availability were associated with lower odds. Respondents identified organizational, human, and health-system concerns, while digital safeguards were uncommon. Associations are non-causal. Prospective studies should evaluate context-appropriate medication-safety interventions.