Response To "A Preliminary Study Designed to Explore the Difference in Effectiveness of Group and Individual Teachings in Self-medication"

Abstract

It is encouraging to see a study conducted as part of student clinical experience. The area of medication administration is one with which nursing must be concerned. This is an interesting study, but with the sample size it is hard to determine the value and impossible to draw conclusions on the effects of individual and group teaching. The author is realistic in delineating the limitations of this study. Replication of the study would be interesting but one would need clarification on several points before this would be possible. The purpose of the study was to examine the effectiveness of group teaching in terms of gaining knowledge of medication in reducing drug errors. Random selection of patients was carried out without any attempt to control the variables. As the literature indicates that certain factors, such as severity of illness, the complexity of the medical regimen and psychological status affect medication errors it would strengthen future studies if some attempt were made to match the experimental and control groups on these variables.