Dishing the drugs: a qualitative study to explore paediatric nurses' attitudes and practice related to medication administration.

Aims: The objectives of this study were to identify nurses' attitudes toward medication policies and the perceived factors that influence nurses' adherence to the medication policy or their ability to follow policy in the clinical environment of a tertiary paediatric hospital.

Methods: Using a focus group methodology, data were collated from a group of 32 nurses working in eight clinical areas of a tertiary paediatric hospital. Each discussion was transcribed and the data were subjected to a qualitatively based content analysis.

Results/findings: Four main categories emerged from the data including accessibility of information, time constraints, practice issues and professional conflict.

Conclusions: Medication administration is a complex area of paediatric nursing practice. In an innovative attempt to assist in understanding nursing medication practice, this research has directly obtained nurses' perceptions of the factors that may influence their adherence to medication policy in the clinical environment. These results will inform future risk management strategies related to nursing medication practice.