Activity analysis of sterile products technicians

Work sampling techniques were used to determine the amount of time sterile products technicians spent performing predefined activities. Twenty-two predefined activities were divided into three major categories: admixture preparation techniques, total parenteral nutrition preparation techniques, and other activities. The total time spent by all sterile products technicians revealed the greatest amount of time consumed preparing sterile products in minibags (362.2 minutes), whereas drug manufacturers piggyback (DMPB) doses required 65.8 minutes. Preparation of these small volume parenterals took approximately 1.3 minutes per dose, whereas syringes consumed 123.5 minutes, or approximately 1.8 minutes per dose. Preparation of miscellaneous products required 57.7 minutes, or 1.9 minutes per dose. TPN consumed 240.7 minutes in total, or 5.5 minutes per bottle. Other activities included paperwork (154.8 minutes), communication (169.1 minutes), and sorting prepared intravenous solutions by nursing unit and time of administration (102.5 minutes). Work sampling was effective in quantifying activities performed by sterile products technicians.