The Medicine with Respect Project: A stakeholder focus group evaluation

The administration of medicines is a role that fundamentally impacts on the wellbeing of the patient and has been described as one of the highest risk activities that a nurse undertakes. This article reports on the Medicine with Respect Project where collaborating organisations sought to improve the education and training of Mental Health Nurses toward safe and competence practice. Focus groups were used to evaluate stakeholders experiences and what emerged was overall satisfaction but with specific suggestions in how to improve the effectiveness of the project. All groups emphasised that all nurses in administering medicines should undergo a rigorous assessment of their medicines administration performance. This would make the ultimate aim of competent and safe practice more achievable.