Assessment of the Impact of Nursing Interruptions on Pharmacist Workflow and Efficiency

Interruptions in the pharmacy setting by nurses are common. While the source of nurse-generated interruptions may be variable, the appropriateness of these interruptions remains unknown.

To evaluate the impact and appropriateness of nursing interruptions on pharmacist workflow resulting from telephone calls, alphanumeric pagers, and in-person interactions.

An electronic data collection tool was created to record nursing-based interruptions of pharmacists through telephone calls, pages, and in-person interactions. The data were collected during all pharmacist shifts (day, evening, and night) over 14 days in 2 separate, 7-day data collection periods in December 2011 and January 2012. The data collection form comprised 7 questions that addressed the purpose of this study, including the shift; unit location; type, nature, and appropriateness of the interruption; estimated time spent; and whether the interruption was duplicated.

A total of 3,531 interruptions were documented during the 14 days of data collection; an average of 252 data points per day were recorded by the pharmacists. About 55% of the interruptions were initiated through alphanumeric pagers, 33% from phone calls, and 12% from face-to-face interactions. Sixty-three percent of the total interruptions were annotated as appropriate interruptions, while 37% of were annotated as inappropriate interruptions. The total time spent addressing the interruptions deemed inappropriate was 75 hours during the study period.

Distinct opportunities exist for process improvement changes, as well as educational and behavioral changes, that would greatly benefit nursing and pharmacy staff.