Nurses’ Pharmacological Knowledge and Medication Safety Adherence in Emergency Departments

Shabahang Jafarnejad; Hamidreza Khoshnezhad Ebrahimi; Forugh Charmduzi; Somayeh Esmaeilian; Alireza Javan; Maryam Salamatbakhsh

doi:10.5455/JPHCM.20260521101038

J Pub Health Comm Med. 2026; 5(4): 330-338

doi: 10.5455/JPHCM.20260521101038

Nurses’ Pharmacological Knowledge and Medication Safety Adherence in Emergency Departments

Shabahang Jafarnejad, Hamidreza Khoshnezhad Ebrahimi, Forugh Charmduzi, Somayeh Esmaeilian, Alireza Javan, Maryam Salamatbakhsh.

Abstract
Background
Medication errors remain a leading cause of preventable harm in healthcare, particularly in high-pressure emergency departments (EDs) where nurses play a central role in medication administration. This study examined the association between pharmacological knowledge and adherence to medication safety indicators among ED nurses.
Methods
This descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in 2023 among 194 nurses working in the emergency departments of Hazrat Ali Asghar, Rasool Akram, and Haft-Tir hospitals. Data were collected using a structured self-administered questionnaire with three sections: demographic characteristics; pharmacological knowledge (20 items in two dimensions); and medication safety (31 items in five dimensions). Descriptive statistics, independent t-test, chi-square test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Pearson correlation coefficient were used. A p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results
The mean pharmacological knowledge score was 41.2/60 (SD = 6.5), and the mean medication safety score was 22.7/31 (SD = 4.1), with a positive significant correlation (r = 0.231, 95% CI 0.09–0.36, p = 0.001). Nurses attending refresher courses had higher safety scores (24.3 vs. 20.6; p = 0.0015).
Conclusion
Emergency nurses showed acceptable pharmacological knowledge modestly associated with better safety adherence; targeted continuing education and system-level improvements are recommended to enhance medication safety in EDs.

Key words: Pharmacological knowledge; nurses; medication safety indicators; emergency department; medication errors

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How to Cite this Article

Pubmed Style

Jafarnejad S, Ebrahimi HK, Charmduzi F, Esmaeilian S, Javan A, Salamatbakhsh M. Nurses’ Pharmacological Knowledge and Medication Safety Adherence in Emergency Departments. J Pub Health Comm Med. Online First: 25 Oct, 2026.

doi:10.5455/JPHCM.20260521101038

Web Style

Jafarnejad S, Ebrahimi HK, Charmduzi F, Esmaeilian S, Javan A, Salamatbakhsh M. Nurses’ Pharmacological Knowledge and Medication Safety Adherence in Emergency Departments. https://www.wisdomgale.com/jphcm/?mno=321745 [Access: October 25, 2026].

doi:10.5455/JPHCM.20260521101038

AMA (American Medical Association) Style

Jafarnejad S, Ebrahimi HK, Charmduzi F, Esmaeilian S, Javan A, Salamatbakhsh M. Nurses’ Pharmacological Knowledge and Medication Safety Adherence in Emergency Departments. J Pub Health Comm Med. Online First: 25 Oct, 2026.

doi:10.5455/JPHCM.20260521101038

Vancouver/ICMJE Style

Jafarnejad S, Ebrahimi HK, Charmduzi F, Esmaeilian S, Javan A, Salamatbakhsh M. Nurses’ Pharmacological Knowledge and Medication Safety Adherence in Emergency Departments. J Pub Health Comm Med, [cited October 25, 2026]; Online First: 25 Oct, 2026.

doi:10.5455/JPHCM.20260521101038

Harvard Style

Jafarnejad, S., Ebrahimi, . H. K., Charmduzi, . F., Esmaeilian, . S., Javan, . A. & Salamatbakhsh, . M. (2026) Nurses’ Pharmacological Knowledge and Medication Safety Adherence in Emergency Departments. J Pub Health Comm Med, Online First: 25 Oct, 2026.

doi:10.5455/JPHCM.20260521101038

Turabian Style

Jafarnejad, Shabahang, Hamidreza Khoshnezhad Ebrahimi, Forugh Charmduzi, Somayeh Esmaeilian, Alireza Javan, and Maryam Salamatbakhsh. 2026. Nurses’ Pharmacological Knowledge and Medication Safety Adherence in Emergency Departments. Journal of Public Health and Community Medicine, Online First: 25 Oct, 2026.

doi:10.5455/JPHCM.20260521101038

Chicago Style

Jafarnejad, Shabahang, Hamidreza Khoshnezhad Ebrahimi, Forugh Charmduzi, Somayeh Esmaeilian, Alireza Javan, and Maryam Salamatbakhsh. "Nurses’ Pharmacological Knowledge and Medication Safety Adherence in Emergency Departments." Journal of Public Health and Community Medicine Online First: 25 Oct, 2026.

doi:10.5455/JPHCM.20260521101038

MLA (The Modern Language Association) Style

Jafarnejad, Shabahang, Hamidreza Khoshnezhad Ebrahimi, Forugh Charmduzi, Somayeh Esmaeilian, Alireza Javan, and Maryam Salamatbakhsh. "Nurses’ Pharmacological Knowledge and Medication Safety Adherence in Emergency Departments." Journal of Public Health and Community Medicine Online First: 25 Oct, 2026. Web. 25 Oct 2026

doi:10.5455/JPHCM.20260521101038

APA (American Psychological Association) Style

Jafarnejad, S., Ebrahimi, . H. K., Charmduzi, . F., Esmaeilian, . S., Javan, . A. & Salamatbakhsh, . M. (2026) Nurses’ Pharmacological Knowledge and Medication Safety Adherence in Emergency Departments. Journal of Public Health and Community Medicine, Online First: 25 Oct, 2026.

doi:10.5455/JPHCM.20260521101038