Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practice Behaviours Regarding Intravenous Drug Incompatibilities Among Intensive Care Unit Healthcare Professionals: A Multicenter Cross‐Sectional Study
Aysel Pehlivanli, Cigdem Ozgun, Abdikarim Abdi, Bilgen Basgut, Arif Tanju Ozcelikay, Mustafa Necmettin UnalABSTRACT
Objective
This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, clinical attitudes, and behavioural responses of healthcare professionals regarding IV drug incompatibility, identify gaps between knowledge and practice, and determine areas for improvement.
Methods
A cross‐ sectional online survey was conducted in Türkiye among physicians and nurses with intensive care unit (ICU) experience. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire assessing knowledge levels, attitudes, and perceived barriers.
Results
A total of 380 healthcare professionals participated. Overall knowledge levels were moderate to high (mean score: 10.4 ± 2.2). Most participants recognised the serious clinical consequences of IV drug incompatibility and emphasised its importance for patient safety. However, adherence to standard guidelines was limited, and time constraints and workload were reported as major barriers. Multivariate analysis revealed that nurses had significantly lower knowledge scores than physicians (β = −1.64; 95% CI: −2.15 to −1.13). Despite high awareness, knowledge was not consistently translated into practice.
Conclusion
These findings highlight the importance of system‐level interventions rather than solely individual‐focused training. However, the findings should be interpreted in light of the cross‐sectional design, convenience sampling, and reliance on self‐reported data.