The Relationship Between Nursing Students’ Medical Error Tendencies and Their Evidence-based Nursing Competencies: An Analytical Cross-sectional Study

Background: Medical errors are a common problem in healthcare services and represent a risk that nursing students may encounter during their training. Evidence-based nursing may contribute to the prevention or reduction of medical errors by supporting clinical decisions based on the best available evidence.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between nursing students’ evidence-based practices and medical error tendencies.

Methods: This analytical cross-sectional study was conducted with 290 nursing students. Data were collected between February and April 2025 using the Sociodemographic Characteristics Form, the Medical Error Scale, and the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors Scale on Evidence-Based Nursing. Pearson correlation and multiple linear regression tests were used for data analysis.

Results: Most of the nursing students were female, in their fourth year, and had a GPA (Grade Point Average) between 3.00 and 3.50. The mean total Medical Error Scale score was 157.76±17.83. The mean scores for evidence-based nursing knowledge, attitude, future use, and practice were 24.60±3.65, 22.06±6.66, 39.99±5.28, and 14.73±5.10, respectively. Higher evidence-based practice scores (β=0.24, p<0.001), second-year student status (β=0.29, p=0.029), and having internship experience in surgical clinics (β=0.12, p=0.039) significantly predicted greater medical error awareness.

Conclusion: Nursing students were cautious about medical errors, and their knowledge, attitude, and future use levels regarding evidence-based nursing were good. Nursing students with higher evidence-based practice competencies, those in their second year of study, and those with internship experience in surgical clinics demonstrated greater awareness of medical errors.

Keywords: Evidence-based practice, medical errors, nursing education, nursing