Calm to chaos: Engaging undergraduate nursing students with the complex nature of interruptions during medication administration

Abstract

Interrupting medication administration in realistic and safe settings facilitates awareness, allows for students to begin to develop management strategies in relation to interruption and increases their confidence. Students were given the opportunity to consolidate and integrate prior and new knowledge and skills through this role-play simulation.

Characteristics of interruptions during medication administration: An integrative review of direct observational studies

“…The incorporation of interruption management skills into curricula has been recommended in both the nursing (Hayes, Jackson, Davidson, Daly, & Power, ) and medical literature (Thomas et al., ), and teaching methods of interruption management are beginning to be described. Simulation experiences incorporating realistic interruptions have been reported to demonstrate positive results for students and staff (Hayes et al., ; Henneman et al., ). Undergraduate nursing students reported improved awareness of how to manage disruptions after participating in a simulated role‐play of interrupted MA (Hayes et al., ).…”

“…Simulation experiences incorporating realistic interruptions have been reported to demonstrate positive results for students and staff (Hayes et al., ; Henneman et al., ). Undergraduate nursing students reported improved awareness of how to manage disruptions after participating in a simulated role‐play of interrupted MA (Hayes et al., ). Henneman et al.…”

“…Educators can apply an understanding of the common characteristics of interruptions to guide the development of educational methods aimed towards interruption management skills. The incorporation of interruption management skills into curricula has been recommended in both the nursing (Hayes, Jackson, Davidson, Daly, & Power, 2017) and medical literature (Thomas et al, 2015), and teaching methods of interruption management are beginning to be described. Simulation experiences incorporating realistic interruptions have been reported to demonstrate positive results for students and staff (Hayes et al, 2017;Henneman et al, 2018).…”

“…Undergraduate nursing students reported improved awareness of how to manage disruptions after participating in a simulated roleplay of interrupted MA (Hayes et al, 2017). Henneman et al (2018) found a reduction in length of time nurse participants were distracted from the task of simulated MA after implementing an interruption management strategy.…”

An urban medical system's exploratory study of medication errors

“…A variety of measures have been attempted to ensure that the nurse preparing and administering medications can do so with as few interruptions as possible. Some include lighted lanyards which alert staff, visitors and people that the nurses are on medication rounds and should not be unnecessarily interrupted, the “sterile cockpit” approach has been tried by some organizations with limited success (Kapur, Parand, Soukup, Reader, & Sevdalis, ), medication preparation areas can be marked or cordoned off and only permit one nurse at a time to enter and procure medications (Hayes, Jackson, Davidson, Daly, & Power, ), and some have adopted a strategy where the nurse who is giving medication dons a brightly coloured vest to denote that medication rounding is occurring (Johnson et al, ). Unfortunately, all of these methods may promote a sense, at least from people and families that the nurses should never be interrupted.…”