Assessment of Nursing Strategies to Minimize Medication Errors in Low-Resource Healthcare Facilities

Abstract

Medication errors continue to represent a critical challenge to patient safety worldwide, particularly in low-resource healthcare settings where systemic limitations, workforce shortages, and lack of standardized protocols increase the likelihood of such errors. This study aims to assess the underlying causes of medication errors and evaluate the effectiveness of nursing strategies in minimizing their occurrence in resource-constrained environments. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 40 registered nurses working in a hospital setting characterized by limited resources and high patient load. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire focusing on demographic characteristics, experiences with medication errors, perceived causes, and applied nursing interventions. The findings revealed that a significant proportion of nurses had either witnessed or been involved in medication errors, highlighting the widespread nature of the issue. The primary contributing factors included heavy workload, communication breakdowns, fatigue, illegible prescriptions, and absence of standardized procedures. Nursing interventions such as adherence to the “Five Rights” of medication administration, double-checking protocols, and improved communication practices were found to be effective in reducing errors. The study concludes that strengthening nursing competencies, promoting a culture of safety, and implementing system-level improvements can significantly reduce medication errors. These findings emphasize the need for continuous education, structured communication systems, and supportive organizational policies to enhance patient safety in low-resource healthcare environment