Applying Structure and Process Standards of Medication Care at Pediatric Wards

The standards describe an optimal level of performance. Do not applying medication care standard, results in different problems. This study was done in order to determine applying structure & process standards of medication care at pediatric wards. In this descriptive cross - sectional study, a sample was selected via systematic random sampling; consist of 610 medication care procedures, applied by nurses of pediatric wards at one of the Hamadan University of Medical Sciences Educational and Treatment Center. The research instrument was a medication care check list. Using descriptive statistics (Mean and Standard Deviation) and inferential statistics (Spearman Correlation Coefficient, One Way ANOVA and Tukey post-hoc) data were analyzed by SPSS 16 software. The utilization of oral medication care structure standards as well as intra-venous injection structure standards were good, but application of their process standards were weak and moderate respectively. There was a significant indirect correlation (p=0.006) between using intra-venous structure and process standards. In terms of utilizing oral medication structure standard, the nurses with age group of 29 years and less were applied mentioned standard more than others (p<0/001); moreover, regarding intra-venous injection process standard, the nurses with age group 36 years and over were utilized the standard more than others. In order to ensure that children benefit appropriate and quality medication care, continuous evaluation of applying medication care standards are necessary.