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Progressive Care Nurses Improving Patient Safety by Limiting Interruptions During Medication Administration
Fran Flynn1, Julie Q Evanish2, Josephine M Fernald2
1Fran Flynn was the advanced practice nurse on one of the progressive cardiac units at the time of the project and is now the advanced practice nurse for the inpatient palliative care service, Advocate Christ Medical Center, Oak Lawn, Illinois.Julie Q. Evanish was a bedside nurse in one of the progressive cardiac units at the time of the project and is now working in the outpatient pain clinic, Advocate Christ Medical Center.Josephine M. Fernald was a bedside nurse in one of the progressive cardiac care units at the time of the project and is now working in the outpatient heart failure clinic, Advocate Christ Medical Center.Dawn E. Hutchinson was a bedside nurse in a progressive cardiac care unit when the study was done and is now a clinical informatics specialist, Advocate Christ Medical Center.Cheryl Lefaiver was the professional nurse researcher for the medical center when the study was done and is now manager of patient-centered outcomes research for Advocate Center for Pediatric Research, Advocate Christ Medical Center. fran.flynn@advocatehealth.com.
Background:
Because of the high frequency of interruptions during medication administration, the effectiveness of strategies to limit interruptions during medication administration has been evaluated in numerous quality improvement initiatives in an effort to reduce medication administration errors.
Objectives:
To evaluate the effectiveness of evidence-based strategies to limit interruptions during scheduled, peak medication administration times in 3 progressive cardiac care units (PCCUs). A secondary aim of the project was to evaluate the impact of limiting interruptions on medication errors.
Methods:
The percentages of interruptions and medication errors before and after implementation of evidence-based strategies to limit interruptions were measured by using direct observations of nurses on 2 PCCUs. Nurses in a third PCCU served as a comparison group.
Results:
Interruptions (P < .001) and medication errors (P = .02) decreased significantly in 1 PCCU after implementation of evidence-based strategies to limit interruptions. Avoidable interruptions decreased 83% in PCCU1 and 53% in PCCU2 after implementation of the evidence-based strategies.
Conclusions:
Implementation of evidence-based strategies to limit interruptions in PCCUs decreases avoidable interruptions and promotes patient safety.
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