--- title: Why We Need to Change the Way We Teach Med Pass description: Safe medication administration is critical to patient safety. Here's why we need to change the way we teach med pass in nursing education programs. image: https://www.sim2grow.com/hubfs/Sim2Grow-4.jpg --- [Skip to content...](https://www.sim2grow.com/en-us/blog/making-the-case-with-research-why-we-need-to-change-the-way-we-teach-med-pass#main-content) CHECK OUT OUR LATEST NEWS AND UPDATES > × ### News and Updates ### Join Sim2Grow at 2026 SCNESA, July 24! #### Come visit our booth to explore innovative solutions that simplify simulation program management and support simulation excellence. Don't forget to pick up some free resources and subscribe to our Youtube Channel for the chance to win a $100 Amazon Gift Card! [![horizontal-logo-full-color-blue](https://www.sim2grow.com/hubfs/horizontal-logo-full-color-blue.png)](https://www.sim2grow.com) [ABOUT](https://www.sim2grow.com/about) [PRICING](https://www.sim2grow.com/pricing) [CONTACT](https://www.sim2grow.com/contact) [SUPPORT](https://www.sim2grow.com/support) [RESOURCES](https://www.sim2grow.com/en-us/blog) [Blogs](https://www.sim2grow.com/en-us/blog) [FAQs](https://www.sim2grow.com/faq) [Free Resources](https://www.sim2grow.com/pod_resources) [SCHEDULE YOUR FREE DEMO](https://www.sim2grow.com/schedule-your-free-demo) [ABOUT](https://www.sim2grow.com/about) [PRICING](https://www.sim2grow.com/pricing) [CONTACT](https://www.sim2grow.com/contact) [SUPPORT](https://www.sim2grow.com/support) [RESOURCES](https://www.sim2grow.com/en-us/blog) [Blogs](https://www.sim2grow.com/en-us/blog) [FAQs](https://www.sim2grow.com/faq) [Free Resources](https://www.sim2grow.com/pod_resources) Search [< All Posts](https://www.sim2grow.com/en-us/blog/) # Why We Need to Change the Way We Teach Med Pass August 29, 2023 By Roxanne Holthaus, MS, RN, FNP As faculty in a smaller-sized ADN program teaching the first semester of medical-surgical nursing, I wore many hats. In addition to classroom, nursing lab, and simulation teaching responsibilities, I also had a clinical group of eight students every semester that I brought to an acute care hospital for two eight-hour shifts per week. As anyone who has been a clinical adjunct or full-time faculty leading a clinical group will tell you, teaching in the clinical setting is fraught with anxiety-provoking moments. For me, one of the most challenging aspects of my role as clinical faculty was passing meds with my students on the unit. - ![Sim2Grow-4](https://www.sim2grow.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Sim2Grow-4.jpg?width=5760&height=3840&name=Sim2Grow-4.jpg) Teaching nursing students how to safely complete medication administration I would select two students a day to pass meds, which doesn’t sound like a lot, but I can attest to the fact that I always breathed a huge sigh of relief when those med passes were completed safely and (as often as possible), on time. Always in the back of my mind was the knowledge that nurses hold significant responsibility for administering medication to patients. My nursing students had to have the knowledge and abilities to safely carry out this essential intervention.  As is the case with many aspects of education, nursing not being exempt, things are taught a certain way more based on historical precedent than on empirical evidence that it is best practice…the famous “this is how we have always done it” mentality. Teaching nursing students how to safely administer medications was [historically rooted in memorizing and reciting the right medication administration safety.](https://www.sim2grow.com/en-us/blog/rethinking-the-role-of-the-5-rs-in-medication-administration) However, what we know (and have known for quite some time) is that these teaching strategies don't fully address the complexities and uncertainties found in today’s healthcare settings. Change is needed, but this isn’t just my opinion based on anecdotal experiences – the research bears it out.   ## **What the Research Shows About Medication Administration** A common theme that emerges in the literature is the role **distraction** and **interruptions** play in the rate of medication errors made by nurses. Nowell and colleagues (2023) found that students struggle to develop skills to manage these challenges and identified simulation followed by reflective learning as one way to [develop these critical skills.](https://www.sim2grow.com/en-us/blog/) A study by Schroers, Ross, and Moriarty (2022), in which senior nursing students were directly observed during med pass, found that about one-third of the participants made errors, with error rates being roughly the same in scenarios with interruptions (19.4%) and those without interruptions (16.7%). The most prevalent error types were related to documentation and dosage. Students pointed to interruptions and a lack of opportunities for practicing independent medication administration as the main causes of these errors.  Foss and Morandini (2023) came to the same conclusion, substantiated by clinical partner feedback: students had inadequate preparation and a limited grasp of the safe medication administration process. They went on to describe the use of (and success with) an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) to evaluate student critical thinking and clinical judgment within the medication administration process, using a low fidelity simulation design.    ### **What Do We Do About It?** I think as educators we can all agree: ensuring that our students are [well-prepared to administer medications](https://www.sim2grow.com/en-us/blog/teaching-medication-administration) independently and safely in complex work environments is mission-critical. It's crucial to incorporate systemic factors into educational approaches to achieve this goal effectively. One of the best and increasingly most researched methodologies we have to do this is through low and medium-fidelity simulation. That’s why we created Sim2Grow: students need the opportunity to practice medication administration as many times as needed to prepare for and overcome the challenges in our healthcare system. By providing a safe space for students to practice med pass with equipment that mimics what they’ll use in the real world, they gain the critical skill they need to keep all patients safe. When students use Sim2Grow to practice med pass again and again, I know that the patients we see those two days per week are in safer hands. And isn’t patient safety and health the goal?   Resources: [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2022.105634](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2022.105634) [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2022.05.012](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2022.05.012) [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2023.01.007](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2023.01.007) X [Medication Administration](https://www.sim2grow.com/en-us/blog/tag/medication-administration) [Nursing Education](https://www.sim2grow.com/en-us/blog/tag/nursing-education) [Med Admin & Patient Safety](https://www.sim2grow.com/en-us/blog/tag/med-admin-patient-safety) [Faculty Development & Student Success](https://www.sim2grow.com/en-us/blog/tag/faculty-development-student-success) views ## Recent Posts [See All](https://21193294.hs-sites.com/en-us/blog) [![](https://www.sim2grow.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Brand%202%20min%2016%20sec.png?width=352&name=Brand%202%20min%2016%20sec.png)](https://www.sim2grow.com/en-us/blog/teaching-medication-administration-to-nursing-students-a-guide) ### [Teaching Medication Administration to Nursing Students: A Guide](https://www.sim2grow.com/en-us/blog/teaching-medication-administration-to-nursing-students-a-guide) [![barcode_scanner](https://www.sim2grow.com/hs-fs/hubfs/1-barcode-scanner.jpg?width=352&name=1-barcode-scanner.jpg)](https://www.sim2grow.com/en-us/blog/empowering-future-nurses-incorporating-barcode-scanning-for-medication-safety-in-practice-labs) ### [Empowering Future Nurses: Incorporating Barcode Scanning for Medication Safety...](https://www.sim2grow.com/en-us/blog/empowering-future-nurses-incorporating-barcode-scanning-for-medication-safety-in-practice-labs) [![](https://www.sim2grow.com/hs-fs/hubfs/FAQ3%201%20min.png?width=352&name=FAQ3%201%20min.png)](https://www.sim2grow.com/en-us/blog/7-common-mistakes-nursing-programs-make-with-medication-simulation) ### [7 Common Mistakes Nursing Programs Make with Medication Simulation](https://www.sim2grow.com/en-us/blog/7-common-mistakes-nursing-programs-make-with-medication-simulation) ![Round submark-full-color-rgb blue](https://www.sim2grow.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Round%20submark-full-color-rgb%20blue.png?width=200&height=225&name=Round%20submark-full-color-rgb%20blue.png "Round submark-full-color-rgb blue") **How to Reach Us** +1 937-358-6936 [info@sim2grow.com](mailto:info@sim2grow.com) [![facebook-logo-108_32](https://www.sim2grow.com/hs-fs/hubfs/facebook-logo-108_32.png?width=25&height=25&name=facebook-logo-108_32.png)](https://www.facebook.com/SIM2GROW)  [![instagram-111_32](https://www.sim2grow.com/hs-fs/hubfs/instagram-111_32.png?width=25&height=25&name=instagram-111_32.png)](https://www.instagram.com/sim2grow)   [![linkedin-112_32](https://www.sim2grow.com/hs-fs/hubfs/linkedin-112_32.png?width=26&height=26&name=linkedin-112_32.png)](https://www.linkedin.com/company/sim2grow)   [![youtube-123_32](https://www.sim2grow.com/hs-fs/hubfs/youtube-123_32.png?width=22&height=22&name=youtube-123_32.png)](https://www.youtube.com/@sim2grow)   Join Our Newsletter Get tips and tricks in your inbox to enhance your simulation program. - [About](https://www.sim2grow.com/about) - [Pricing](https://www.sim2grow.com/pricing) - [Blog](https://www.sim2grow.com/en-us/blog) - [FAQ](https://www.sim2grow.com/faq) - [Terms of Use](https://www.sim2grow.com/terms-of-use) - [EULA: MAS](https://www.sim2grow.com/end-user-license-agreement) - [Privacy Policy](https://www.sim2grow.com/privacy-policy) Join Our Newsletter Get tips and tricks in your inbox to enhance your simulation program. [![](https://www.sim2grow.com/hubfs/basil_facebook-outline.png)](https://www.facebook.com/SIM2GROW) [![](https://www.sim2grow.com/hubfs/mdi_instagram.png)](https://www.instagram.com/sim2grow) [![](https://www.sim2grow.com/hubfs/mingcute_linkedin-line.png)](https://www.linkedin.com/company/sim2grow/) × ## Sign Up For Our Monthly Newsletter ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Roxanne Holthaus, MS, RN, FNP", "url" : "https://www.sim2grow.com/en-us/blog/author/roxanne-holthaus-ms-rn-fnp" }, "dateModified" : "2026-06-04T18:17:16.299Z", "datePublished" : "2023-08-29T18:24:42.000Z", "headline" : "Why We Need to Change the Way We Teach Med Pass", "image" : [ "https://www.sim2grow.com/hubfs/Sim2Grow-4.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://www.sim2grow.com/en-us/blog/making-the-case-with-research-why-we-need-to-change-the-way-we-teach-med-pass", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://www.sim2grow.com/hubfs/sim2grow-final-files-horizontal-logo-full-color-rgb%20med%20admin.png" }, "name" : "Sim2Grow®" } } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Roxanne Holthaus" }, "dateModified" : "2023-08-29", "datePublished" : "2023-08-29", "headline" : "Why We Need to Change the Way We Teach Med Pass", "image" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "height" : 3840, "url" : "https://www.sim2grow.com/hubfs/Sim2Grow-4.jpg", "width" : 5760 }, "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://www.sim2grow.com/en-us/blog/making-the-case-with-research-why-we-need-to-change-the-way-we-teach-med-pass", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://www.sim2grow.com/hubfs/horizontal-logo-full-color-blue.png" }, "name" : "Sim2Grow" }, "url" : "https://www.sim2grow.com/en-us/blog/making-the-case-with-research-why-we-need-to-change-the-way-we-teach-med-pass" } ```