What We Learn and How We Practice: Nursing Students’ Perception, Attitude, and Confidence Level with Medication Safety and Drug Calculation

Abstract

Medication safety is a cornerstone of nursing practice, and accurate drug‑dose calculation is critical to patient safety. A descriptive cross‑sectional survey was conducted among 95 nursing students (B.Sc. and M.Sc.) at Dayananda Sagar University using a structured 30‑item questionnaire. Results showed strong awareness of safety principles, 82% verified physician orders, 84% checked drug interactions, and 81% emphasized patient education. However, only 56.9% felt prepared for high‑risk medications and 68.4% reported awareness of error‑management steps.

Confidence was uneven across domains, adult doses (68.4%), pediatric doses (60.0%), intravenous medications (62.1%), and unit conversion (47.4%). Senior students demonstrated higher confidence than juniors, confirming the role of clinical exposure. Correlation analysis revealed a positive relationship between perception and confidence (r = 0.45, p < 0.01). Findings highlight the gap between theoretical knowledge and clinical readiness, underscoring the need for simulation‑based learning, structured feedback, and curricular reforms to strengthen medication safety in India.