Factors associated with continuing education needs in medication administration among school nurses

Aim: To investigate the continuing education requirements and factors influencing school nurses' needs in relation to medication administration on school campuses. Design: A total of 391 school nurses working in K-12 schools in Taiwan were invited to participate in an online questionnaire survey. Methods: This cross-sectional study employed a probability proportionate to size technique along with a random sampling method. Data were collected from February to April 2023. Results: School nurses reported a significant demand for continuing education and perceived moderate levels of stress and government support related to medication administration. Among the various dimensions, the highest demand was observed for ‘definition of campus medication errors’ and ‘regulations for campus medical orders.’ Moreover, the ‘identifying drug interactions’ and ‘adverse drug effects and referrals’ dimensions were identified as the most stressful aspects. Notably, perceived stress emerged as the sole predictive factor for continuing education demand, accounting for 16.1% of the variance. Conclusions: The study found that there was a significant demand for and moderate stress related to continuing education among school nurses. Therefore, it is crucial for the government and school nursing organizations to develop targeted programs focusing on medication administration. These initiatives should be designed to enhance nurses' capabilities and reduce their stress, thereby ensuring safe medication administration on campuses. Impact: Continuing education enables school nurses to acquire up-to-date knowledge and improve the workflow in their practice. This study highlights a strong need for education in medication administration with a focus on ‘campus medication error definitions’ and ‘campus medical order regulations.’ The government and relevant school nursing organizations should prioritize the development and implementation of continuing education programs to decrease the school nurses' stress related to medication administration. Patient or Public Contribution: No patient or public contribution. Reporting Method: This study adhered to the relevant cross-sectional EQUATOR STROBE guidelines.