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Quiet please! Drug round tabards: are they effective and accepted? A mixed method study
Lotte Verweij1, Marian Smeulers, Jolanda M Maaskant
1Senior Nurse and Junior Researcher, Department of Neurosurgery and Department of Quality Assurance & Process Innovation, Academic Medical Center at the University of Amsterdam, and the Netherlands.
Summary
Drug round tabards significantly reduced interruptions and medication administration errors (MAEs) in nursing care. This intervention enhances medication safety and nursing quality, though further research into complementary strategies is recommended.
Area of Science:
- Nursing Science
- Patient Safety
- Healthcare Interventions
Background:
- Drug round tabards are widely used to minimize nurse interruptions and medication administration errors (MAEs).
- Existing evidence supporting the effectiveness of tabards in reducing these errors is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of drug round tabards on interruption frequency and types.
- To assess the effect on medication administration errors (MAEs).
- To explore the relationship between interruptions and MAEs, and nurses' experiences with tabards.
Main Methods:
- A mixed-methods before-and-after study was conducted in a Dutch university hospital.
- Interruptions and MAEs were observed during drug rounds across three periods (pre-implementation, 2 weeks post, 4 months post).
- Qualitative data were gathered through personal inquiries and a focus group with nurses.
Main Results:
- A total of 313 medication administrations were observed.
- Significant reductions in both interruptions (75%) and MAEs (66%) were observed by the 4-month follow-up.
- Qualitative themes included personal considerations, patient perceptions, and perceived tabard effectiveness.
Conclusions:
- Drug round tabards effectively reduce interruptions and MAEs, improving medication safety and nursing care quality.
- The reduction in MAEs is not solely attributable to decreased interruptions, suggesting other influencing factors.
- Further research into complementary interventions is recommended to further reduce MAEs.