Effect of a Mobile App on Medication Errors During Simulated Pediatric Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation: PEDIDOSIS App...

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Emergency Medicine
• Health Informatics
• Nursing Practice

Background:

• Pediatric cardiopulmonary arrest has high mortality and morbidity.
• Accurate drug administration is crucial for resuscitation outcomes.
• Current cognitive aids for nurses may lead to medication errors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy and usefulness of the PEDIDOSIS smartphone application (app) for nursing staff in a simulated pediatric emergency setting.
• To compare medication error rates and administration times between the PEDIDOSIS app and conventional methods.
• To assess nurse satisfaction, stress levels, and usability of the PEDIDOSIS app.

Main Methods:

• A multicentre, high-fidelity simulation-based randomized controlled trial was conducted with 105 nurses in Spain.
• Participants were randomized to use the PEDIDOSIS app or conventional methods (e.g., paper tables, calculators).
• Medication errors, administration times, stress, satisfaction, and usability were evaluated using video recording and standardized surveys.

Main Results:

• The incidence of wrong dose administration was significantly lower with the PEDIDOSIS app (26.4%) compared to conventional methods (51.5%) (p < 0.001).
• The proportion of participants committing multiple medication errors was substantially lower with the app (15.1%) versus conventional methods (57.7%).
• Nurses using the app reported higher satisfaction and lower stress levels, with a System Usability Scale score of 78.9.

Conclusions:

• The PEDIDOSIS smartphone app is an effective tool for reducing medication errors in pediatric resuscitation.
• mHealth applications like PEDIDOSIS can improve the accuracy and safety of drug administration by nursing staff.
• The app demonstrates high usability and contributes to a better user experience for nurses in emergency settings.