Related Experiment Videos
Nurses' responses to interruptions during medication tasks: A time and motion study.
Clinta Ché Reed1, Ann F Minnick1, Mary S Dietrich1
1Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, 461 21st Ave. South, Nashville, TN 37240, United States.
International Journal of Nursing Studies
|April 9, 2018
Summary
Nurses frequently face interruptions during medication tasks, often choosing to multitask or suspend their work rather than delay the interruption. Understanding these responses is key to improving patient safety during interruptions.
Area of Science:
- Nursing Research
- Patient Safety
- Healthcare Workflow Analysis
Background:
- Most interruption research focuses on negative impacts, particularly medication errors.
- Limited research exists on nurses' specific responses to interruptions.
- Interruptions are unavoidable, necessitating strategies for effective management.
Purpose of the Study:
- Examine nurses' responses to interruptions during medication tasks.
- Explore contextual factors influencing interruption management.
- Analyze secondary data on interruptions and nurse responses in medical-surgical units.
Main Methods:
- Descriptive study in 5 medical/surgical units across 2 Southern US acute care facilities.
- Observation of 20 registered nurses using time and motion software.
- Collected organizational, unit, and nurse data via questionnaires; analyzed interruption data.
Main Results:
- Nearly 39% of medication tasks were interrupted.
- Nurses most often suspended the task (51.1%) or multitasked (40.3%) after an interruption.
- Interruption characteristics (type, source, intent) significantly influenced nurses' responses.
Conclusions:
- Nurses experience frequent interruptions during medication administration.
- Nurses commonly accepted interruptions, with infrequent use of delay tactics.
- Further research is needed on interruption responses and their impact on patient safety.