An Intervention to Improve Safe Administration of Medication in the Night Shift

Abstract

Introduction: One in seven hospitalized patients experiences an adverse event related to administration of medication. Medication errors are one of the most important causes of preventable mortality and morbidity.

Objective: To assess the efficacy of a training intervention with the population of night shift nurses in an acute care hospital, in order to improve compliance with the protocol for the safe administration of medication.

Methods: Experimental trial, pre-post training intervention, carried out at Hospital Clínic of Barcelona, during 2015-2016. The population consisted of 268 nurses in two night shifts. The sample consisted of 177 participants (88 from the control group and 89 from the experimental group). The intervention consisted in information sessions and access to a written procedure. The measurement instrument was the Institution's Standard Work Procedure by means of a compliance check-list. Uni-bivariate study was performed, using chi-square and Fisher's test with a significance of P<0.05.

Results: 219 observations were carried out in the control group and 207, in the experimental group. Of seventeen variables analyzed, only three showed significant differences: in the experimental group, knowledge of the procedure improved, increase in the use of soap and water over hydroalcoholic solution, and worsening of standardized identification of drugs pending from being administered. None of the fourteen remaining variables showed significant differences. Of 426 observations, only three medication errors occurred in the control group, corrected before its administration, and zero occurred in the experimental group.

Conclusions: Classic training interventions with passive receptors may not be effective to improve nursing practice in safe administration of medication.