The medication administration process from the nurse's perspective

Abstract

Introduction: The nurse has an ethical and legal commitment in the administration of medications, verifying indications and side effects. Despite the strategies of the World Health Organization (WHO), errors continue to occur. This research describes the nurse's strategies to ensure safe and quality administration, highlighting unrecognized actions, but key to effective pharmacological therapy. Objective: Describe the nurse's experience in the medication administration process at the hospital level, Medellín - Antioquia, 2024. Methodology: qualitative, particularistic ethnography, 80 hours of observation, 8 interviews and recording in the field notes. Results: Medication administration includes: prescription, dispensing, organization, preparation, application and register. At each stage, the nurse carries out "invisible" activities that are not always recognized, for the organization, preparation of the medication, support in dispensing in order to improve the safety of the process.  Discussion: the results of this research demonstrate to strengthening existing strategies to prevent medication errors. The six steps proposed by nurses in the medication administration process become a culture of safety for the patient. Conclusion: The creativity and resourcefulness of the nurse is evident to guarantee the timeliness, safety and effectiveness of pharmacological treatment.