Pediatric Nurse Performance on a Medication Dosage Calculation Assessment Tool

• The risk of medication calculation errors in children is greater than in adults.
• A medication dosage calculation assessment tool was created for pediatric RNs.
• The overall mean dosage calculation assessment score for 851 RNs was 92.4, with a range of 47–100.
• RN performance varied between work unit, experience, and certification status.

BackgroundNurses who care for children must be competent to perform medication dosage calculations because most pediatric doses are weight based and obtained from adult formulations.PurposeThe purpose of the study was to describe and compare nurse performance on a medication dosage calculation assessment tool, considering work unit, years experience, and certification status.DesignA secondary analysis of data from 851 Registered Nurses (RN) was completed. Multiple regression was used to model the effect of work unit, certification, and experience on score.FindingsThe mean assessment tool score was 92.4 (47–100). The work unit and the interaction between certification status and experience were significant in relation to score on the calculation assessment.