Nurses’ experiences of new medication management technologies
Tracks
Track 2
| Thursday, July 24, 2025 |
| 1:40 PM - 2:00 PM |
| Bradman Theatrette |
Overview
Presenter: Dr Rebecca Jedwab FACN
Speaker
Dr Rebecca Jedwab FACN
Clinical Nurse Research Consultant
Monash Health
Nurses’ experiences of new medication management technologies
1:40 PM - 2:00 PMAbstract
Introduction: New technologies including automated dispensing cabinets (ADCs) and barcoded medication administration (BCMA) were implemented at the new Victorian Heart Hospital (VHH) and embedded within electronic medical records to replace manual steps and support medication safety. The aim of this study was to explore how ADCs/BCMA impacted nurses’ experiences, change in workflows, and patient safety.
Methods: A mixed-methods study was conducted. RiskMan data on medication errors (selection and administration errors) before and after ADC/BCMA roll-out was retrieved and evaluated to assess the impact on patient safety. Medication errors pre-intervention (collected December 2021-July 2022), and post-intervention (collected May-December 2023) were compared, and number of encounters for the same period were retrieved from the hospital databases. Data from a cross-sectional, anonymous survey on nurses' experiences with ADCs/BCMA at VHH was analysed using descriptive statistics and content analysis.
Results: Reported medication errors per 1000 bed encounter decreased post-ADC/BCMA implementation (0.1 vs 0.5, p=0.02). A total of 39 survey responses were received. A total of 67% of respondents believed ADCs/BCMA was superior to traditional methods and beneficial for patient safety. However, nurses reported several challenges in workflow efficiency including queuing medications for retrieval, medication approval delays, barcode and printer malfunctions, and difficulty locating medications. Over half of respondents (60%) received formal training, but many still struggled with navigating the system, particularly those without prior ADC/BCMA experience (53%). Suggested improvements included improved cabinet organisation/stock levels, streamlined medication queuing, ongoing support and further training.
Conclusions: The ADC/BCMA system has been generally well-received by nurses at VHH, with the majority recognising the positive impact on patient safety. Additionally, the number of reported selection and administration medication errors significantly reduced. Further research is required to explore barriers impacting nurses’ workflows. Nurse leaders must ensure new technologies are adopted and continuously evaluated to support nurses’ workflows and patient safety.
Methods: A mixed-methods study was conducted. RiskMan data on medication errors (selection and administration errors) before and after ADC/BCMA roll-out was retrieved and evaluated to assess the impact on patient safety. Medication errors pre-intervention (collected December 2021-July 2022), and post-intervention (collected May-December 2023) were compared, and number of encounters for the same period were retrieved from the hospital databases. Data from a cross-sectional, anonymous survey on nurses' experiences with ADCs/BCMA at VHH was analysed using descriptive statistics and content analysis.
Results: Reported medication errors per 1000 bed encounter decreased post-ADC/BCMA implementation (0.1 vs 0.5, p=0.02). A total of 39 survey responses were received. A total of 67% of respondents believed ADCs/BCMA was superior to traditional methods and beneficial for patient safety. However, nurses reported several challenges in workflow efficiency including queuing medications for retrieval, medication approval delays, barcode and printer malfunctions, and difficulty locating medications. Over half of respondents (60%) received formal training, but many still struggled with navigating the system, particularly those without prior ADC/BCMA experience (53%). Suggested improvements included improved cabinet organisation/stock levels, streamlined medication queuing, ongoing support and further training.
Conclusions: The ADC/BCMA system has been generally well-received by nurses at VHH, with the majority recognising the positive impact on patient safety. Additionally, the number of reported selection and administration medication errors significantly reduced. Further research is required to explore barriers impacting nurses’ workflows. Nurse leaders must ensure new technologies are adopted and continuously evaluated to support nurses’ workflows and patient safety.
Biography
Dr Rebecca Jedwab is a Critical Care Registered Nurse and currently working as the Clinical Nurse Research Consultant for the Nursing and Midwifery Informatics Team at Monash Health. She is a Fellow of the Australian College of Nursing and passionate about nursing research and mentoring.
