Activity analysis of sterile products technicians

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Practice
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Optimizing workflow in sterile compounding is crucial for efficiency and patient safety.
• Understanding time allocation for sterile products technicians aids in resource management and process improvement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the time sterile products technicians allocate to various preparation and non-preparation activities.
• To identify key areas for potential workflow optimization within sterile compounding services.

Main Methods:

• Work sampling technique employed to observe and record technician activities.
• Twenty-two predefined activities categorized into admixture preparation, total parenteral nutrition (TPN) preparation, and other tasks.
• Data collected on time spent for each activity, including preparation of minibags, syringes, and miscellaneous products, as well as TPN preparation.

Main Results:

• Minibag preparation consumed the most time (362.2 minutes).
• Total parenteral nutrition (TPN) preparation required 240.7 minutes.
• Significant time was also dedicated to paperwork (154.8 minutes) and communication (169.1 minutes).

Conclusions:

• Work sampling effectively quantified the time spent by sterile products technicians on diverse tasks.
• Findings highlight opportunities to streamline processes, particularly in high-volume preparation areas and administrative duties.
• Data provides a basis for targeted interventions to improve efficiency in sterile compounding operations.