Nurses’ Knowledge and Practice of Safe Medication Administration at University of Abuja Teaching Hospital

Background: Medication errors are among the most common and preventable adverse events in hospital settings, with nurses representing the final checkpoint in the medication administration process. Aim: This study assessed nurses' knowledge and practice of safe medication administration at University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Federal Capital Territory. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey recruited 100 registered nurses through stratified random sampling. A knowledge questionnaire based on the five rights of medication administration and a structured observational checklist were used. Data were analysed with SPSS version 27. Results: Knowledge of the five rights was adequate in 79% of nurses; however, only 58% consistently applied all rights during observed medication rounds. Most frequent errors involved failure to verify patient identity and incomplete documentation. Workload and distraction during medication rounds were the most cited contributing factors. Conclusion: Knowledge of medication safety principles outpaces consistent practice. Reducing interruptions during medication administration, mandatory patient identity verification, and clinical audit of medication errors are recommended as essential safety improvement strategies. Keywords: medication administration, nursing errors, patient safety, Abuja, medication safety.