Standardized neonatal continuous infusion concentrations: A quality improvement initiative

Area of Science:

• Neonatal pharmacology
• Quality improvement initiatives
• Medication safety

Background:

• Medication errors pose a significant risk, particularly in neonates.
• Standardized infusion concentrations enhance patient safety and operational efficiency for healthcare professionals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To standardize neonatal continuous infusion concentrations.
• To implement these standardized concentrations into the electronic health record via an automated order panel.
• To assess the impact of this initiative on medication safety and workflow in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

Main Methods:

• Standardization of neonatal continuous infusion concentrations.
• Implementation into the electronic health record using an automated order panel.
• Collection of pre- and postimplementation data to evaluate the primary endpoint: compatibility of infusion orders with syringe pump "bolus from infusion" functionality.

Main Results:

• Compatibility with "bolus from infusion" functionality increased from 40% to 93% postimplementation (P < 0.00001).
• The ratio of total syringe pump options to the number of concentrations per medication decreased by 31%.

Conclusions:

• Implementing an order panel with defaulted standard infusion concentrations enhances workflow.
• This initiative optimizes technology utilization in the NICU.
• Standardization improves medication safety and efficiency for neonatal care.