Factors that predispose to the distraction of the team of nursing during the preparation and the administration of medicines

Abstract

This research intended to exam the theory that distraction, during the preparation and administration of medication, can lead to errors. Direct and non-participant observations of the medication process (performed by nursing team in all nursing shifts) were carried out in the Intensive Care Unit of a philanthropic hospital. During observation stage 136 drugs were administered totaling 43 mistakes, namely: dose omission, infusion speed, duct, dose, dilution and schedule. During data collection 100 factors causing the nurses' distraction and that could lead to errors were identified: telephone or mobile phone ringing; interruption by other professionals; non-standardized changes of medical prescriptions; overlapping job tasks in standardized medication times; and lack of formal care planning. Although 21% of the errors related to the wrong preparation and administration times of medication were caused by the distracting event "non-standardized changes of medical prescriptions", there was not a significant correlation between the identified errors and the factors that could lead to distraction. Therefore it can be inferred that there is no direct link between the possible distracting factors and the errors related to the preparation and to the administration of medication.