Pharmacology knowledge and drug calculation skills among nurses and upper-semester nursing students in special care units in Iran: a cross-sectional study
8 affiliations
- 1Department of Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
- 2Student Research Committee, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
- 3Department of Medical-Surgical Nursing, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran
- 4Department of Medical Emergencies, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
- 5Modeling of Noncommunicable Diseases Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
- 6Department of Nursing, Malayer School of Nursing, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
- 7School of Nursing and Midwifery, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
- 8Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Chronic Disease (Home Care) Research Center, Institute of Cancer, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
Abstract
Background: Medication safety in special care units requires nurses to integrate pharmacology knowledge with accurate drug calculation. Evidence on these competencies among nurses and upper-semester nursing students in Iranian special care units remains limited. This study assessed pharmacology knowledge and drug calculation skills among nurses and upper-semester nursing students working or undertaking clinical placement in special care units affiliated with Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Iran, and examined their associations with selected demographic, educational and occupational characteristics.
Methods: This observational cross-sectional study was conducted from May to August 2021 among nurses and upper-semester nursing students in intensive care, coronary care, and dialysis units. A total of 272 completed questionnaires were analysed using a 50-item instrument assessing pharmacology knowledge across four domains and drug calculation skills. Item responses were recoded as correct (1) or incorrect, incomplete, or unanswered (0), and outcomes were reported as the number and percentage of correctly answered items. Descriptive statistics, non-parametric tests, Spearman’s rank correlation, false discovery rate correction, and robust multivariable linear regression were used.
Results: The mean overall pharmacology knowledge score was 25.95 ± 6.85 correct responses out of 40, corresponding to 64.9% correct responses. The mean drug calculation skills score was 5.40 ± 2.37 correct responses out of 10, corresponding to 54.0% correct responses. Drug calculation skills were positively correlated with overall pharmacology knowledge (Spearman’s rho = 0.428, 95% confidence interval: 0.326–0.520, p < 0.001). In adjusted models, upper-semester nursing students had fewer correct responses than permanent nurses in nursing care of medications (β = -1.08, 95% confidence interval: -2.00 to -0.16, p = 0.022) and adverse drug effects (β = -1.41, 95% confidence interval: -2.57 to -0.25, p = 0.017). No independent predictor was significantly associated with drug calculation skills after adjustment. Given the limited internal consistency of the adverse drug effects domain (KR-20 = 0.66), this adjusted association should be interpreted cautiously.
Conclusions: Participants correctly answered approximately two-thirds of the pharmacology knowledge items and slightly more than half of the drug calculation items, indicating important opportunities for improvement. Pharmacology knowledge and drug calculation skills were positively related but should be considered distinct dimensions of medication-related competence. Clinically integrated, competency-based medication-safety education may strengthen pharmacological reasoning, drug calculation and medication-related nursing care in special care units.
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BibTeX
@article{jamasbi2026pharmacology,
title = {{Pharmacology knowledge and drug calculation skills among nurses and upper-semester nursing students in special care units in Iran: a cross-sectional study}},
author = {Mehrdad Maleki Jamasbi and Salva Zarabi Pour and Hossein Feizi and Hiva Azami and Behnaz Alafchi and Mohammad Torabi and Forough Fazlollahi and Seyed Ali Rasooli},
journal = {BMC Nursing},
year = {2026},
month = aug,
doi = {10.1186/s12912-026-05230-6},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-026-05230-6},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Pharmacology knowledge and drug calculation skills among nurses and upper-semester nursing students in special care units in Iran: a cross-sectional study
AU - Mehrdad Maleki Jamasbi
AU - Salva Zarabi Pour
AU - Hossein Feizi
AU - Hiva Azami
AU - Behnaz Alafchi
AU - Mohammad Torabi
AU - Forough Fazlollahi
AU - Seyed Ali Rasooli
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/08/12
JO - BMC Nursing
DO - 10.1186/s12912-026-05230-6
UR - https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-026-05230-6
AB - Background: Medication safety in special care units requires nurses to integrate pharmacology knowledge with accurate drug calculation. Evidence on these competencies among nurses and upper-semester nursing students in Iranian special care units remains limited. This study assessed pharmacology knowledge and drug calculation skills among nurses and upper-semester nursing students working or undertaking clinical placement in special care units affiliated with Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Iran, and examined their associations with selected demographic, educational and occupational characteristics. Methods: This observational cross-sectional study was conducted from May to August 2021 among nurses and upper-semester nursing students in intensive care, coronary care, and dialysis units. A total of 272 completed questionnaires were analysed using a 50-item instrument assessing pharmacology knowledge across four domains and drug calculation skills. Item responses were recoded as correct (1) or incorrect, incomplete, or unanswered (0), and outcomes were reported as the number and percentage of correctly answered items. Descriptive statistics, non-parametric tests, Spearman’s rank correlation, false discovery rate correction, and robust multivariable linear regression were used. Results: The mean overall pharmacology knowledge score was 25.95 ± 6.85 correct responses out of 40, corresponding to 64.9% correct responses. The mean drug calculation skills score was 5.40 ± 2.37 correct responses out of 10, corresponding to 54.0% correct responses. Drug calculation skills were positively correlated with overall pharmacology knowledge (Spearman’s rho = 0.428, 95% confidence interval: 0.326–0.520, p < 0.001). In adjusted models, upper-semester nursing students had fewer correct responses than permanent nurses in nursing care of medications (β = -1.08, 95% confidence interval: -2.00 to -0.16, p = 0.022) and adverse drug effects (β = -1.41, 95% confidence interval: -2.57 to -0.25, p = 0.017). No independent predictor was significantly associated with drug calculation skills after adjustment. Given the limited internal consistency of the adverse drug effects domain (KR-20 = 0.66), this adjusted association should be interpreted cautiously. Conclusions: Participants correctly answered approximately two-thirds of the pharmacology knowledge items and slightly more than half of the drug calculation items, indicating important opportunities for improvement. Pharmacology knowledge and drug calculation skills were positively related but should be considered distinct dimensions of medication-related competence. Clinically integrated, competency-based medication-safety education may strengthen pharmacological reasoning, drug calculation and medication-related nursing care in special care units.
SN - 1472-6955
ER -