New Nurse Graduate Readiness for Medication Administration Within the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Medication administration (MA) has significant implications for patient safety. This qualitative descriptive study, using semistructured interviews, explored the MA experiences of nine newly graduated registered nurses (NGRNs) whose undergraduate studies were primarily undertaken during the pandemic. Two themes were identified: work readiness and transitioning. NGRNs felt that pandemic restrictions, including condensed content delivery and delayed clinical placements, led to curriculum concerns and impeded MA learning. NGRNs valued structured hospital graduate programs and the support received from colleagues and preceptors. Longitudinal studies of the career impact of nurses whose education was disrupted during the pandemic are recommended.