Patient safety in the administration of intramuscular medication in pediatrics: assessment of the nursing practice.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the nursing care regarding the intramuscular medication administration procedure in pediatrics. METHODS It was an observational and quantitative study performed in a pediatric hospital located in the city of Fortaleza, in Ceará, Brazil. The data collection was carried out through the observation of 327 intramuscular medication administration procedures. An observational checklist composed by 25 steps was used to collect data. The performance of the 25 steps of the checklist was divided as follows: (1) five steps were applied before the procedure of intramuscular medication administration; (2) fourteen steps during the procedure; (3) six steps after the procedure. RESULTS It was found that none of the five steps carried out before the intramuscular medication administration procedure were satisfactory performed. Regarding the fourteen steps applied during the procedure, six of them were satisfactory performed (42.8%). With regards to the six steps applied after the procedure, three of them were satisfactory performed (50%). CONCLUSIONS Fragilities that negatively impact the intramuscular medication administration procedures in pediatric patients were identified in this study.