Agency Nurse Usage of Infusion Interoperability: Identifying Barriers and Improving Workflows

Area of Science:

• Nursing Informatics
• Healthcare Management
• Patient Safety

Background:

• Hospitals increasingly use agency nurses to address staffing shortages.
• Agency nurse practice variations, particularly with infusion interoperability, pose challenges in inpatient settings.
• Variability in agency nurse practice impacts quality, documentation, and adherence to standards.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify factors contributing to lower adherence with infusion interoperability among agency nurses.
• To implement and evaluate an educational intervention to improve agency nurse practice and adherence.
• To enhance overall quality, documentation, and adherence through improved agency workflows.

Main Methods:

• Assessed agency nurse infusion interoperability usage via interviews and observations.
• Reviewed adherence reports, education/onboarding materials, and interviewed nurse leaders.
• Analyzed data to identify specific challenges faced by agency staff.

Main Results:

• Agency nurses demonstrated lower adherence compared to permanent staff.
• Key contributing factors included lack of experience, troubleshooting difficulties, and underutilized resources.
• Interventions included curriculum changes, increased support, and improved resource access.

Conclusions:

• Targeted education and enhanced support systems are crucial for improving agency nurse proficiency with infusion interoperability.
• Process improvements in agency workflows lead to better adherence and nurse satisfaction.
• Addressing specific agency nurse challenges optimizes inpatient care and patient safety.