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.