Safety of drug administration from the perspective of hospitalized patients in selected hospitals of the South Bohemia Region
Abstract
Drug administration is one of the riskiest areas of healthcare provision, accompanied by several possible mistakes. Patient and family involvement is crucial for patient safety in a hospital environment.
The research study aimed to evaluate the subjective perception of the safety of the drug administration process from hospitalized patients' point of view and their involvement in drug administration. A structured questionnaire of its own design was used to obtain data.
Three hundred twenty-nine respondents from 4 hospitals in the South Bohemian Region in the Czech Republic were included in the research, including patients hospitalized in the internal medicine, surgery, and follow-up and rehabilitation care departments. We found different perceptions and individual understandings of the safety of the drug delivery process by other groups of patients.
Interest in participating in drug administration also varies between groups of patients. Women control the medication given to them by the nurse to a much greater extent than men.
Patients under the age of 60, patients with higher professional and university education, and patients from the surgical department would like to be more involved in deciding which drugs to use. Patients with a low level of education want to involve their family members more in their treatment decisions.
Both healthcare professionals and patients should be led by hospital management to increase patient involvement in the hospitalization process.