Suzanne Atkinson

Nursing Perception of the Impact of Automated Dispensing Cabinets on Patient Safety and Ergonomics in a Teaching Health Care Center

Purpose: To evaluate how nursing staff felt about the impact of automated dispensing cabinets (ADCs) on the safe delivery of health care and workplace ergonomics. To identify the main issues involved in the use of this technology and to describe the corrective measures implemented. Methods: Cross-sectional descriptive study with quantitative and qualitative components. A questionnaire that consisted of 33 statements about ADC was distributed from May 24 to June 3, 2011. Results: A total of 172 (46%) of 375 nurses completed the questionnaire. Nursing staff considered the introduction of ADC made their work easier (level of agreement of 90%), helped to safely provide patients with care (91%), and helped to reduce medication incidents/accidents (81%). Nursing staff was particularly satisfied by the narcotic drugs management with the ADCs. Nursing staff were not satisfied with the additional delays in the preparation and administration of a medication dose and the inability to prevent a medication from being administered when stopped on the medication administration record (48%). Conclusion: The nursing staff members were satisfied with the use of ADC and believed it made their work easier, promoted safe patient care, and were perceived to reduce medication incidents/accidents.

Nursing perception of the impact of medication carts on patient safety and ergonomics in a teaching health care center.

Objectives: In our Quebec (Canada) University Hospital Center, 68 medication carts have been implemented as part of a nationally funded project on drug distribution technologies. There are limited data published about the impact of medication carts in point-of-care units. Our main objective was to assess nursing staff’s perception and satisfaction of medication carts on patient safety and ergonomics. Method: Quantitative and qualitative cross-sectional study. Data were gathered from a printed questionnaire administered to nurses and an organized focus group composed of nurses and pharmacists. Results: A total of 195 nurses completed the questionnaire. Eighty percent of the nurses agreed that medication carts made health care staff’s work easier and 64% agreed that it helped to reduce medication incidents/accidents. Only 27% and 43% agreed that carts’ location reduces the risk of patients’ interruptions and colleagues’ interruptions, respectively. A total of 17 suggestions were extracted from the focus group (n = 7 nurses; n = 3 pharmacist) and will be implemented in the next year. Conclusions: This descriptive study confirms the positive perception and satisfaction of nurses exposed to medication carts. However, interruptions are a major concern and source of dissatisfaction. The focus group has revealed many issues which will be improved.

Prospective Descriptive Study of RFID Tag Detection Rates based on Various Exploratory Scenarios Aimed at Identifying Optimal Conditions of Use

Abstract Objective The main objective is to evaluate RFID tags detection rates using various exploratory scenarios in order to identify optimal conditions of use. The secondary objective is to evaluate RFID tags detection rates based on a real-life scenario involving a cardiorespiratory resuscitation drug tray used within our institution in order to identify optimal conditions of use. Background The traceability of goods has been a subject of interest for more than a century. Traceability makes it possible to locate goods at every step in the chain from production through to disposal. Just as with other Automatic Identification and Data Capture technologies, radio frequency identification (RFID) is used to increase the traceability of objects. Results Seven variables that could influence RFID tags detection rates were evaluated in eight exploratory scenarios. Optimal detection parameters allowing to a 100 % detection rate were identified: a 10-second reading time; a reading distance of 10 cm; parallel orientation of reader-antenna and at least two back and forth readings for a total of 6 sec were required for optimal reading. Detection rates decreased after 100 RFID tags and it were not affected by the shape of the RFID tags. Reader-antenna and RFID tag interferences resulted from aluminum paper or RFID tags that touched one another. RFID tag detection rates obtained per operator were similar. Regarding real-life scenarios, detection rates increased with reading times and a plateau effect was observed after 10 sec. Undetected elements varied and non-detection was almost always related to the proximity of two RFID tags rather than the nature of the items read. Conclusion To our knowledge, this is the first prospective descriptive study that compares RFID tag detection rates based on various exploratory scenarios in order to identify optimal conditions of use. Such results can be used to develop a software application supporting drug replenishing through RFID in the drug use process.