Factors Influencing Medication Competency among UNIMAS Undergraduate Nursing Students
| dc.contributor.author | Felicia Sim Shu Jie | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-04-28T02:40:25Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2025 | |
| dc.description | Background: Medication errors continue to pose a significant threat to patient safety worldwide, often resulting in preventable harm or death. Despite numerous educational interventions, nursing students frequently demonstrate inadequate competency in medication management, particularly in applying theoretical knowledge to clinical practice. Objective: This study aimed to assess the level of medication competency among undergraduate nursing students at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) and to identify and examine the relationship between individual, attitudinal, educational and practical, and cognitive factors influencing this competency. Methods: A quantitative, cross-sectional design was employed. A total of 139 second- to fourth-year nursing students were selected using simple random sampling. Data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire adapted from the validated Nurses' Perception of Medication Competency (NURSPeM) tool, comprising 44 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale. Descriptive and inferential statistics, including Spearman correlation tests, were used for data analysis via SPSS version 27.0. Results: The mean medication competency score was 143.25 (SD = 13.87) out of 176, with 35.3% of students classified as having low competency, 31.7% moderate, and 33.1% high. Among the four domains, educational and practical factors showed the strongest correlation with medication competency (𝑟𝑠 = .851, p < .001), followed by attitudinal (𝑟𝑠 = .719), cognitive (𝑟𝑠 = .660), and individual factors (𝑟𝑠 = .651), all with p < .001. While students exhibited high attitudinal and cognitive awareness, they rated educational and practical components lower, despite these being the strongest predictors of competency. Conclusion: Medication competency among UNIMAS nursing students remains suboptimal, especially in practical and educational areas. Strong positive IV correlations across all four influencing factors highlight the multifaceted nature of medication competency. The findings underscore the importance of integrated educational strategies that combine theoretical, experiential, and reflective learning to enhance nursing students’ preparedness for safe medication administration. Future research should incorporate longitudinal and multi-institutional designs, objective performance assessments, and explore additional psychological and environmental influences to guide curriculum reform and improve patient safety outcomes. | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://scholarhub.unimas.my/handle/123456789/525 | |
| dc.language.iso | English | |
| dc.publisher | Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) | |
| dc.relation.ispartofseries | Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences | |
| dc.subject | medication competency, nursing students, medication safety, clinical education, simulation, UNIMAS | |
| dc.title | Factors Influencing Medication Competency among UNIMAS Undergraduate Nursing Students | |
| dc.type | Final Year Project |