The following policy reflects the importance of safe medication administration with the BScN program. The College of Nurses of Ontario (2008) states: "Safe, effective and ethical medication practice is an important component of client care" (p. 3)

1. Mathematics Competencies across the Curriculum

1. Students are required to purchase a medication dosage calculation text during their first year of nursing studies (dosage calculation text recommended by faculty).
   
   
2. Theory and practice related to medication dosage calculations will be taught in various courses across the curriculum.
   
   
3. Nursing students must successfully complete a medication dosage calculation test and achieve a score of 100%, in a timeframe that reflects course requirements. As of September 2014, use of non-programmable calculators is permitted during any medication dosage calculation test.

• Students who do not achieve 100% on the medication dosage calculation test will be responsible for arranging remedial medication dosage calculation assistance as required. A student will have an opportunity to re-write the medication dosage calculation test a maximum of two times.
  
  
• Students who receive a 90% on their first medication dosage calculation test will be permitted to administer medications with supervision from the clinical instructor. Students who achieve less than 90% on their first medication dosage calculation test will not be permitted to administer medications. All students must achieve 100% on the medication dosage calculation re-write and the re-write must be completed in a timely fashion so that students will have an opportunity to administer medications during their associated clinical course in order to meet their learning outcomes.
  
  
• Students who do not achieve 100% on the third time writing the medication dosage calculation test will fail the associated clinical course

d. Medication dosage calculation tests are administered in each clinical practicum in years 1, 2, and 3. The administration of the medication dosage calculation test will occur in either the lecture or laboratory setting associated with the clinical course.

2. Medication Errors

A nursing student uses knowledge, skill and judgement to administer medications safely. A reportable medication error occurs:

1. When the clinical instructor/preceptor prevents a "near miss" by stopping a student from making a medication error, or
2. When the student fails to adhere to the CNO's current Practice Standard about Medication.

The student is required to complete, both the School of Nursing Clinical Incident Form and a Placement Agency Medication Error Report. At a minimum, the student will create a learning plan for preventing future medication errors. A medication error is a serious event, and may result in course or program failure.

A student who has failed more than one clinical course (regardless of credit weight) or who has failed a clinical course twice is deemed to have failed the program.

3. Near Miss Medication Errors

When a clinical instructor/preceptor prevents a medication error with a student who has had experience administering medications, a Clinical Incident Form is completed, outlining the nature of the near miss and the student's learning plan for preventing future medication incidents. The Clinical Incident Form becomes part of the student's clinical evaluation and is placed in the student's file. If a student has three near misses over the course of the program, the student must meet with the Director to discuss options for continuing in the program.

Policy approved: June 2011
Revised: February, 2012; April 3, 2012; January 18, 2013; September, 2014; January, 2015, April 8, 2015; April 22, 2015