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[Reducing drug administration errors using "Do not disturb" tabards and signs].

Natascia Mazzitelli1, Gennaro Rocco2, Girolamo De Andreis3

  • 1RN MSN Infermiera Responsabile UOS rapporti con le Università ASL Roma G.

Professioni Infermieristiche
|July 22, 2018
PubMed
Summary

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This summary is machine-generated.

Reducing nurse interruptions with "Do Not Disturb" tabards can decrease medication administration errors. This patient safety intervention shows promise, though comprehensive teamwork and education are also vital for optimal outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Nursing Science
  • Patient Safety
  • Healthcare Quality Improvement

Background:

  • Drug administration errors by nurses contribute to significant patient harm, including mortality and serious functional disorders.
  • Interruptions and distractions during nursing care are recognized as critical factors impacting patient safety and quality of care.
  • Lessons from aviation safety highlight the importance of minimizing distractions to reduce errors.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effectiveness of 'Do Not Disturb' tabards and signs in reducing errors during medication administration by nurses.
  • To explore the cause-effect relationship between minimizing interruptions and improving drug administration safety.

Main Methods:

  • A quasi-experimental study was conducted in 8 medicine and surgery units across 4 teaching hospitals in Rome.

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  • Four units served as the experimental group (using 'Do Not Disturb' tabards/signs), and four as the control group.
  • Data on distractions were collected using the Medication Administration Distraction Observation Sheet tool and analyzed with SPSS.

    • Main Results:

    • The experimental group showed reduced distractions related to nurses and conversations compared to the control group.
    • However, some distractions, such as phone calls and patient interactions, were higher in the experimental group.
    • No significant differences in distractions were observed related to physicians, other personnel, visitors, or emergencies.

    Conclusions:

    • Wearing high-visibility 'Do Not Disturb' vests can be beneficial in reducing medication administration errors caused by distractions.
    • Effective teamwork, workplace signage, and comprehensive education programs are essential to support this intervention.
    • Minimizing interruptions is a key strategy for enhancing patient safety during drug administration.