Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 23, 2026
06:59
A Novel Approach for the Administration of Medications and Fluids in Emergency Scenarios and Settings
Published on: November 9, 2016
Work interruptions and their contribution to medication administration errors: an evidence review
Alain D Biron1, Carmen G Loiselle, Mélanie Lavoie-Tremblay
1School of Nursing, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. alain.biron@mail.mcgill.ca
Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing
|May 6, 2009
Summary
Nurses experience frequent work interruptions, averaging 6.7 per hour, primarily from colleagues. These interruptions are linked to medication administration errors, necessitating efforts to reduce them.
Area of Science:
- Nursing Practice
- Patient Safety
- Healthcare Systems
Background:
- Work interruptions are frequently cited by nurses as a major cause of medication administration errors.
- Understanding the frequency and nature of these interruptions is crucial for improving patient safety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review the existing evidence on nurses' work interruption rates.
- To characterize the nature and origins of these work interruptions.
- To assess the contribution of work interruptions to medication administration errors.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive literature search was conducted across multiple databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PSYCINFO) from 1980 to 2008.
- Included original studies in English with nurses as participants reporting work interruption frequencies.
- Data extraction and quality assessment were performed by reviewers, with pooled estimation of interruption rates.
Main Results:
- Analysis of 23 studies revealed an average of 6.7 work interruptions per hour.
- Most interruptions are brief, face-to-face interactions initiated by nurses.
- A significant association was found between work interruptions and medication administration errors (p=0.01), particularly when time-related errors were excluded.
- Methodological limitations, including varied definitions of interruptions, were noted.
Conclusions:
- Limited evidence necessitates future research with improved methodological rigor, including precise definitions and reliable reporting of work interruptions.
- Strategies to reduce the frequency of nurses' work interruptions are essential for enhancing medication administration safety.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Pharmaceutical Poisoning: Potential Scenarios
Pharmaceutical poisoning can occur through various channels, impacting an estimated 2 million hospitalized patients in the U.S. annually with serious adverse drug responses. These scenarios encompass both therapeutic uses, such as drug toxicity, where even standard dosages can lead to severe central nervous system depression, and non-therapeutic exposures, including accidental ingestion by children, and environmental and occupational exposures.Unintentional poisonings often involve exploratory...
01:19Dosage Interval and Administration Route: Determination Methods
A medication’s effectiveness largely depends on its appropriate dosage and the route of administration. Dosage ensures that a sufficient drug concentration is maintained in the bloodstream to elicit the desired therapeutic effect without causing toxicity. The route of administration affects the drug's bioavailability, rate of absorption, and onset of action, which are crucial for achieving optimal therapeutic outcomes. Drug dosage calculations are critical to tailoring therapy to individual...
01:24Drug Accumulation During Multiple Dosing: Intermittent IV Infusions
Intermittent intravenous (IV) infusion is a method of drug administration where medications are delivered over short infusion periods followed by intervals of no drug delivery. This approach helps to prevent sustained high drug concentrations in the bloodstream, reducing the risk of adverse effects associated with prolonged exposure. Unlike continuous infusion, steady-state concentrations may not be achieved during a single dosing cycle but can be reached through repeated...
01:30Guidelines for Nursing Documentation I
Quality documentation and reporting share essential characteristics that ensure they are practical and valuable resources for those who use them. These characteristics are:
Factual:
The following points emphasize the significance of upholding accurate and unbiased documentation in healthcare.
Factual:
The following points emphasize the significance of upholding accurate and unbiased documentation in healthcare.
01:15Drug Dosing: Geriatric Patients
Elderly individuals encompass a diverse population with varying degrees of age-related physiological changes. Defining the elderly presents challenges, as the geriatric population is often arbitrarily categorized as individuals older than 65. However, many individuals in this group lead active and healthy lives, with an increasing number surpassing 85 years and falling into the older elderly category. Physiological changes associated with aging impact performance capacity and homeostatic...
01:15Chronopharmacokinetics: Circadian Rhythms and Influence on Drug Response
Circadian rhythms are cyclic changes that are crucial in plasma drug concentrations. Various standard circadian parameters, including core body temperature, heart rate, and other cardiovascular factors, directly impact disease states and the therapeutic response to drug therapy.
The time of drug administration is an important factor to consider, as it can influence the toxic dose of a drug. For example, a study conducted by Prins et al. in 1997 examined the effects of the timing of...
The time of drug administration is an important factor to consider, as it can influence the toxic dose of a drug. For example, a study conducted by Prins et al. in 1997 examined the effects of the timing of...