Organisational culture, medication administration and the role of nurses

Medication administration is a critical aspect of nursing practice, and has significant implications for the safety of the patients we care for. This research study was designed to identify ways of enhancing patient safety during the administration of medications within the New Zealand context. We employed a multi-method approach that included a survey using the Safety Climate Survey tool, focus groups and three clinical practice development groups. The outcomes of this study indicate that practice development initiatives, such as the ones outlined in this project, can have a positive effect on nurses' perceptions of organisational safety, which in turn has been demonstrated to have a positive impact on patient safety (Pronovost et al., 2003). Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.