Knowledge, Attitudes and Awareness of Food and Drug Interactions among Nurses with Different Levels of Experience

Aim: To examine the knowledge, attitudes and awareness of food and drug interactions (FDI) among nurses with different levels of experience in their day to day practices. Background: The 2004 Institute of Medicine report (IOM), “Keeping Patients Safe,” recognized the nursing profession as playing a critical role in patient safety (Dunton, 2007; McHugh & Lake, 2010). Although new nurses possess a strong theoretical knowledge of nursing, experience from practice is important in providing a safer level of practice (Hill, 2010).The retention of experienced nurses in practice, would require a continuous, career-long learning (Hill, 2010).Medical errors resulting in Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs), pose a significant public health problem. Studies on the knowledge, attitudes and awareness of FDI among nurses with different levels of experience are lacking. Methods: This was a cross sectional study which included a structured questionnaire. The study included a convenience sample of 278 nurses divided into 5 groups with different levels of experience: 0-4 years (66); 5-9 years (75); 10-14 years (45); 15-19 years (41); and ≥20 years. Results: There was statistical difference in knowledge and attitude to FDI among the 5 groups. 72.3 % of nurses had not observed food and drug interaction during their practice. Conclusion: The five groups all scored low in their knowledge of FDI. Most of the participants recommended in-house training on FDI every six (6) months.There is a significant difference in the knowledge of FDI among the five groups with different levels of nursing experience.