Medication errors represent a persistent and critical threat to patient safety within hospital settings, leading to significant morbidity, mortality, and economic cost. This research paper examines the indispensable and synergistic roles of nurses and pharmacists as the primary defenders against this pervasive challenge. It argues that error reduction is fundamentally dependent on the integration of the nurse’s position as the final bedside checkpoint—responsible for vigilant administration, monitoring, and patient advocacy—with the pharmacist’s expertise in clinical verification and systemic safety design. The paper explores the scope and impact of medication errors, detailing the specific responsibilities and barriers faced by each profession. A central thesis is that interprofessional collaboration models, such as unit-based clinical pharmacy and joint quality improvement initiatives, create a safety synergy more powerful than isolated efforts. Furthermore, the analysis considers the dual role of technology as both a tool and a potential barrier, emphasizing that its effectiveness is contingent on human-centered design and a robust safety culture. The paper concludes that overcoming systemic, cultural, and logistical barriers through strategic investment, role redesign, and enhanced interprofessional education is essential to strengthen this alliance. By synthesizing current evidence, this research underscores that a fortified nurse-pharmacist partnership is the cornerstone of a resilient medication-use system, directly contributing to the global imperative of reducing preventable patient harm.
Keywords: Medication Errors, Nurses, Pharmacists, Medication Errors, Clinical Pharmacy, Hospital Setting
How to cite this article:Aljohani NS, Emam MM, Alrawaibah BS, Alrawaibah AS, Al Theiabi ZS, Alhamzah SS, Alqahtani AJM, The Role of Nurses and Pharmacists in Reducing Medication Errors in Hospital Settings. 2026;16(1s): 806-817; DOI: 10.25258/ijddt.16. 806-817