Reducing interruptions during medication preparation and administration.

Area of Science:

• Healthcare quality and safety
• Nursing practice and medication administration
• Geriatric patient care

Background:

• Interruptions during medication administration are a known cause of medication errors.
• Limited evidence exists on effective interventions to mitigate these interruptions.
• Drug administration rounds in healthcare settings are susceptible to frequent disruptions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify the primary causes of interruptions during drug administration in a geriatric ward.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of a combined intervention strategy in reducing these interruptions.
• To improve medication safety in a hospital setting.

Main Methods:

• A pre- and post-intervention observational study design was employed.
• Direct observation of drug dispensing rounds was conducted.
• Data collected from 24 nurses, observing 44 rounds, 945 drugs (T0) and 994 drugs (T1).

Main Results:

• A statistically significant reduction in the mean number of interruptions per round (17.31 to 9.09, p<0.01).
• Significant decreases in interruptions per patient (0.78 to 0.40, p<0.01) and per drug administered (0.44 to 0.22, p<0.01).
• Identified needs for further improvement, including greater support staff involvement.

Conclusions:

• Healthcare staff require comprehensive training on the risks associated with interruptions during routine, skill-based drug administration.
• A collaborative, bottom-up approach involving management, leadership, and frontline staff enhances motivation and identifies tailored interventions.
• Combined interventions can effectively reduce interruptions, thereby improving medication safety.