A Study Of The Effectiveness Of Caregiver Engagement In Enhancing Medication Safety Behaviors In Pediatric Patients

Background:Medication safety is a globally recognized important patient safety issue.Errors in medication management and use can cause serious harm to patients and cost losses to the healthcare system.Whether during hospitalization or at home,the diagnostic,treatment,and care process for children cannot be separated from the leading and participating role of caregivers.In the past two years,the World Health Organization has set the World Patient Safety Day themes as "Medication Safety" and"Engaging Patients for Patient Safety." In recent years,scholars at home and abroad have explored different intervention methods to improve the effect of patient engagement in medication safety,but the results are inconsistent,and there have been no reports on this special group of pediatric patients and caregivers.Objectives:To explore the effect of medication safety participation methods based on the WHO "5 Moments for Medication Safety" strategy on improving the participation of pediatric patient caregivers in medication safety behaviors.Methods:From December 2021 to January 2023,85 pediatric patient caregivers admitted to the pediatric department of a tertiary Grade A hospital in Beijing who met the inclusion criteria were selected and allocated into control and intervention groups based on the order of time,with 43 and 42 cases,respectively,under the principle of informed consent.Both groups of patients received routine ward care,including medication education and telephone follow-up.The intervention group received medication safety participation methods based on the WHO "5 Moments for Medication Safety" on this basis.The participation in medication safety behavior of the two groups was evaluated using the Inpatients Involvement in Medication Safety Behavior Scale before and two weeks after the intervention.Results:A total of 85 pediatric patient caregivers were included in this study,with 43 in the control group and 42 in the intervention group.The results showed that:(1)Before the intervention,there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups’ total score(P>0.05).After the intervention,the difference between the values of the total score of participation in medication safety of pediatric patient caregivers in the intervention group and those in the control group was statistically significant(P<0.05).The intervention group had higher scores on the benevolent and attractive dimensions compared to the control group,and the difference was found to be statistically significant(P<0.05).(2)The total score of participation in medication safety of pediatric patient caregivers in the intervention group was higher after the intervention than before,and the difference was found to be statistically significant(P<0.05).The total score of the decisive,caring,and appealing dimensions of the intervention group was higher after the intervention than before,and the difference was found to be statistically significant(P<0.05).Conclusion:Medication safety participation methods based on the "5 Moments for Medication Safety" have a positive effect on improving the participation behavior of pediatric patient caregivers in medication safety.