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.

Compliance with inpatient drug use process steps: a cross-sectional observational study.

OBJECTIVES: The aim was to compare nursing staff compliance over the years, per health care unit, and per drug use process step. METHODS: Compliance assessment was performed by nursing consultants with direct observation of the registered nurses and nursing assistants during the performance of 7 steps of the drug use process. A total of 36 compliance criteria were developed. The compliance to drug use process criteria was measured in 2007 (Prephase), 2008 (post 1), and 2011 (post 2). Totally, 10 health care units were evaluated, with a minimum of 10 doses evaluated per health care unit, including a minimum of 5 parental doses and a total of 100 nurses observed. RESULTS: A total of 142 nurses were observed in the prephase, 140 nurses in the post 1 phase, and 98 in the post 2 phase (90% regular staff and 10% float staff). The overall compliance rates went from 77% in 2007 up to 87% in 2008 and down to 78% in 2011. CONCLUSIONS: This cross-sectional observational study revealed a significant difference in the drug use process compliance in terms of drug preparation and drug administration for inpatients at the bedside, between 2007 and 2011.