Comparative Report: Nursing and Midwifery Studies on Medication Errors

This report provides a comparative analysis of two research studies in nursing and midwifery. The first study employs a qualitative approach, aiming to understand nurses' experiences and perspectives on preventing medication administration errors. It utilizes interviews for data collection and thematic analysis. The second study uses a quantitative approach, examining graduate nurses' self-reported medication errors and the influence of workplace factors. Data collection involves surveys, and analysis is conducted using statistical methods. The report compares the methodologies, sampling techniques, data analysis procedures, findings, limitations, and recommendations of both studies. The qualitative study highlights the roles and responsibilities of nurses, while the quantitative study identifies unsupportive workplace relations as a primary cause of errors. Both studies offer insights into improving medication safety practices and supporting nurses in their practice.

Running head: NURSING AND MIDWIFERY 1
Nursing and Midwifery
Name
Institution

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Nursing and Midwifery
Guided questions Answer Template (Please do not Remove the questions)
Guided Question Qualitative Study Quantitative Study
1. Aim andSignificance
(5 marks 200 words)
.
a. What was the aimand
significance ofthe study?
The study by Smauers et al. (2014) seeks to gain a
deeper understanding of the experiences and
perspectives of nurses on the prevention of
medication administration errors. The article plays a
critical role as an informative tool for nurses on the
effectiveness of supportive institutional systems in
fostering safety of administration of medications.
Similarly, the findings of the study play a significant
role in tailoring medication safety practices in
healthcare institutions by underscoring the
underlying barriers and facilitators while at the
same time, emphasizing on the effectiveness of
adopting control systems targeting medication
administration errors.
The study conducted by Sahay et al. (2015) aims at
examining graduate nurses’ self-reported medication
errors while establishing the roles played by the
workplace relations and systems in the causation of
these errors. Dwyer and Revell (2016) explain that
graduate nurses are more likely to make medication
errors compared to their experienced counterparts.
Rubin and Babbie (2016) attribute such a premise to
the fact that the novices lack adequate exposure to
their workplace environments. The article acts as a
significant informant for policymakers and nurse
leaders to institutionalize ample support systems for
graduate nurses as a way of minimizing medication
errors.
2. Methods (10 marks
700 words)

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a. Identify the
research design used
in the study and was
it appropriate for the
issue discussed?
Smeulers et al. (2014) implemented a qualitative
interview design to foresee the aim of gaining a
deeper understanding of the experiences and
perspectives of nurses on the prevention of
medication administration errors. The fact that the
qualitative interview design made it possible for the
scholars to gain first hand information from the
targeted participants makes it an effective method
for this study. Sullivan-Bolyai and Bova (2014)
explain that a qualitative explorative design is highly
appropriate in instances where the scholars aim at
underscoring the direct views of the participants.
Sahay et al. (2015) implement descriptive and
exploratory quantitative research designs to foresee
the aims of their study. The descriptive design played a
significant role in allowing the scholars to have a
deeper understanding of the graduate nurses’ self-
reported medication errors. On the other hand,
Battaglia, and Glasgow (2018) explain that exploratory
design allows researchers to have an ample avenue of
refining an array of new measures while establishing
conceptual and operational comprehension of the
underlying issues and establishing a foundation for the
development of hypotheses.
b. Discuss the sampling
technique, inclusion and
exclusion criteria used for
the selection of sample in
the study
The participants adopted for the qualitative study
conducted by Smeulers et al. (2014) were sampled
from a tertiary care university hospital named the
Academic Medical Centre (AMC). The study sought
to gain a deeper understanding of the experiences
and perspectives of nurses on the prevention of
medication administration errors in this facility.
In the article by Sahay et al. (2014), sampling was
conducted by the use of institutional databases from
three Australian universities. The researchers emailed
the survey link to the graduate nurses by the use of
their previous institutional email addresses. A total of
58 respondents completed the survey. For inclusion,
one had to be a recent graduate of the institutions
sampled. No distinct exclusion criterion was adopted.

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The study adopted purposive sampling with the aim
of achieving higher levels of heterogeneity was
implemented. According to Rubin and Babbie
(2016) purposive sampling plays a significant role in
ensuring that the participants selected to take part
in a study meet the researcher’s judgements.
Further, the scholars reveal that purposive
sampling seeks to focus on a particular trait
portrayed by the population under investigation.
The fact that the researchers sought to experiences
and perspectives of nurses on the prevention of
medication administration errors at the AMC
reveals the efficacy of the sampling technique
adopted. Similarly, the scholars adopted Snowball
sampling to obtain the names of the participants.
For inclusion, one had to be a professional at the
AMC
c.Explore the data
collection method and its
appropriateness to the
research design of the
study
Comparatively, the study by Smeulers et al. (2014)
adopted semi structured individual interviews to
foresee its data collection procedures. Berger
(2018) reveal that semi structured individual
interviews play a significant role in allowing for
On the other hand, the study by Sahay et al. (2015)
adopted a survey to foster its process of collecting
primary data. One of the greatest advantages of
adopting surveys as a strategy of collecting primary
data for quantitative researches emanates from its

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moderate examination of participants as it adopts
both predetermined and unplanned questions to
foresee the objectives of a research. The
participants were accorded with the opportunity to
express their views freely with structured guidance
from the researchers. Similarly, the scholars
adopted the topic list for the interview questions by
conducting a literature review. According to Houser
(2016) and Ingham-Broomfield (2015) , literature
reviews play an essential role in allowing scholars
to develop hypotheses based on previously proven
and researched materials.
unbiased approach when fostering decision making.
According to Gravetter and Forzano (2018),
researchers adopting surveys as instruments of
collecting data tend to rely on unbiased pieces of
evidence to allow for effective generalizations of
findings as the information gathered is reliable and
highly versatile. The scholars emailed the survey link to
recent graduates from the three Australian Universities
identified for the study. According to Watson (2015),
online surveys depict an average response rate of
30%. As such, the method adopted to initiate data
collection processes was highly appropriate to the
study design put in place.
3. Data analysis and
results (10 marks 600
words)
a.How was the data
analysed and was it
appropriate for the study?
On the other hand the scholarly article by Smeulers
et al. (2014) adopted the MAXQDA10 software to
foresee the processes of analyzing the pieces of
data collected from the qualitative interviews. The
scholars proceeded by implementing independent
coding for the interviews then compared and
The study by Sahay et al. (2015) initiated its data
analysis processes by downloading the survey data
from the Qualtritics online platform hosted by the
university’s website. The researchers applied version
20 of Statistic Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) to
analyse the survey data. On the other hand, mean,

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discussed the results obtained until a consensus on
the most effective coding tree was adopted. The
data analysis procedures adopted by Smeulers et
al. (2014) was highly appropriate in ensuring that
the objectives of the study are met. The procedure
adopted by the researchers to foster data analysis
played a significant role in meeting the objectives of
the study, considering the fact that the researchers
implemented purposive sampling, independent
coding as a technique of fostering data analysis
played a significant role in ensuring that the
answers obtained for the research questions
administered are in line with the interests of the
scholars.
standard deviations and Spearman’s correlation
analyses were applied to examine the descriptive
statistics obtained.
b.What were the
findings/results of the
study?
The research by Smeulers et al. (2014) brought
forth three themes on the experiences and
perspectives of nurses on the prevention of
medication administration errors: the roles and
responsibilities of nurses in fostering medication
safety; the ability of the caregiver to work safely;
and the ability of the nurse to uphold safety
practices. Such themes were based on the pivotal
The study by Sahay et al. (2015) identified
unsupportive workplace relations as a primary cause of
the medication errors encountered by graduate nurses.
In their views, the researchers explain that disruptive
workplace environments play a significant role in
increasing the frustrations incurred by graduate nurses.
The results of the study are in line with the findings of
Hair et al. (2015) which reveals that novices face

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roles played by nurses in the processes of fostering
effective management of medications which goes
beyond the routine administration of prescribed
medicines.
frustrations, loss of concentration and lower levels of
personal confidence in instances where they are
exposed to unsupportive environments at work. Such
challenges increase the tendencies of novices to
commit medication administration errors. Similarly, the
scholars revealed that the presence of supportive
Nurse Unit Managers and workplace environments
played a significant role in reducing medication errors.
c.Discuss the limitations
and recommendations of
the study?
One of the greatest limitations of the study by
Smaulers et al. (2014) emanates from the sampling
technique applied. Gravetter and Forzano (2018)
explain that purposive sampling greatly relies on
the judgements of the researcher and applies a
small sample space. As such, the sampling method
limits the efficacy of the results obtained in the
study by Smeulers et al. (2014) from being
generalized in other populations. The researchers
recommend that institutional and nurse managers
must appreciate the efficacy of the clinical
reasoning techniques portrayed by nurses in
fostering medication safety and reduction of
Comparatively, the study by Sahay et al. (2015)
identifies the method applied by the researchers to
reach recent nurse graduates from the three Australian
universities as its major limitation. There are
tendencies that the nurses do not use these email
addresses. However, the scholars recommend that
healthcare institutions should look into frameworks of
providing graduate nurses with supportive working
environments as a strategy of enhancing safe
medication practices.

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medication errors.
References

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Battaglia, C., & Glasgow, R. E. (2018). Pragmatic dissemination and implementation research models, methods and measures
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Berger, A. A. (2018). Media and communication research methods: An introduction to qualitative and quantitative approaches.
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Dwyer, P. A., & Revell, S. M. H. (2016). Multilevel influences on new graduate nurse transition: A literature review. Journal for
nurses in professional development, 32(3), 112-121.
Gravetter, F. J., & Forzano, L. A. B. (2018). Research methods for the behavioral sciences. Cengage Learning.
Hair Jr, J. F., Wolfinbarger, M., Money, A. H., Samouel, P., & Page, M. J. (2015). Essentials of business research methods.
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Houser, J. (2016). Nursing research: Reading, using and creating evidence. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Ingham-Broomfield, R. (2015). A nurses' guide to qualitative research. Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing, The, 32(3), 34.
Rubin, A., & Babbie, E. R. (2016). Empowerment series: Research methods for social work. Cengage Learning.
Sahay, A., Hutchinson, M., & East, L. (2015). Exploring the influence of workplace supports and relationships on safe medication
practice: A pilot study of Australian graduate nurses. Nurse education today, 35(5), e21-e26.
Smeulers, M., Onderwater, A. T., van Zwieten, M. C., & Vermeulen, H. (2014). Nurses' experiences and perspectives on
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Sullivan-Bolyai, S., & Bova, C. (2014). Experimental and quasi experimental designs. In G. LoBiondo-Wood, & J. Haber (Eds.),
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