The Community Foundation of Central Georgia has awarded a $20,000 grant to Middle Georgia State University’s (MGA’s) nursing department to support student training in medication administration safety.

MGA’s nursing department will use the funds to buy an automated medication dispensing cabinet to ensure all graduates are competent with safe medication administration. Along with the purchase of new equipment, nursing faculty will enhance the curriculum to include additional simulation hours for students to prepare and safely administer medications. They will use the new automated medication dispensing cabinet in the Macon Campus nursing lab.

“Using the automated medication dispensing cabinet is especially valuable in nursing education, providing students with a realistic environment to practice this vital aspect of nursing,” said Dr. Donna Ingram, chair of the University’s Department of Nursing. “Our students will be able to transfer this knowledge and training into the practice setting in a competent manner, and employers will have even more confidence in our graduates to provide the highest quality care to patients.”

According to the World Health Organization, “unsafe medication practices and medication errors are a leading cause of injury and avoidable harm in health care systems across the world. Errors can occur at various stages of the medication use process. Medication errors occur when weak medication systems and/or human factors such as fatigue, poor environmental conditions or staff shortages affect prescribing, transcribing, dispensing, administration, and monitoring practices.”

“It is imperative that nursing programs are equipped with the appropriate simulation equipment and tools to train students in safe medication administration processes,” Ingram said. “We are grateful to the Community Foundation of Central Georgia for awarding this grant that will help us provide our students with valuable tools to learn and practice the safe administration of medications.”

The Community Foundation of Central Georgia was founded in 1993 by a group of citizens interested in encouraging philanthropy and strengthening communities. Since then, the foundation has awarded more than $90 million in grants.