Nurses´ perceptions of automated dispensing cabinets – an observational study and an online survey

Abstract

Background: Thirty-two automated dispensing cabinets (ADCs) were introduced in May 2015 in Kuopio University Hospital, Finland. These medication distribution systems represent relatively new technology in Europe and are aimed at rationalising the medication process and improving patient safety. Nurses are the end-users of ADCs, and it is therefore important to survey their perceptions of ADCs. Our aim was to investigate nurses' perceptions of ADCs and the impacts of ADCs on nurses' work. Methods: The study was conducted in the Anaesthesia and Surgical Unit (OR) and Intensive Care Unit (ICU), of a tertiary care hospital, in Finland. We used two different research methods: observation and a survey. The observational study consisted of two 5-day observation periods in both units, one before (2014) and the other after (2016) the introduction of ADCs. An online questionnaire was distributed to 346 nurses in April 2017. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics including frequencies and percentages and the Chi-Square test.Results: The majority (n = 68) of the 81 respondents were satisfied with ADCs. Attitudes to ADCs were more positive in the ICU than in the OR. Nearly 80% of the nurses in the ICU and 42% in the OR found that ADCs make their work easier. The observational study revealed that in the OR, time spent on dispensing and preparing medications decreased on average by 32 min per 8-h shift and more time was spent on direct patient care activities. The need to collect medicines from outside the operating theatre during an operation was less after the introduction of ADCs than before that. Some resistance to change was observed in the OR in the form of non-compliance with some instructions; nurses took medicines from ADCs when someone else was logged in and the barcode was not always used. The results of the survey support these findings.Conclusions: Overall, nurses were satisfied with ADCs and stated that they make their work easier. In the ICU, nurses were more satisfied with ADCs and complied with the instructions better than the nurses in the OR. One reason for that can be the more extensive pilot period in the ICU.

Implementation of distributed automated medication dispensing units in a new hospital: Nursing and pharmacy experience

“…Overall, nursing and pharmacy assistant staff were satisfied with the system, in line with numerous recent studies (Ardern-Jones et al, 2009;Douglas et al, 2017;Metsämuuronen et al, 2020;Sirois et al, 2013).…”

Artificial Intelligence for Identifying the Prevention of Medication Incidents Causing Serious or Moderate Harm: An Analysis Using Incident Reporters’ Views

“…Unclear medication information, doses, and omitted verifications practices were found in our study, even though the study hospital partly used superior technology, such as automated dispensing cabinets (ADCs). In a previous study conducted in the same hospital, ACDs were found to make work easier, but some resistance to change was observed in the form of non-compliance to some instructions, for example, the barcode was not always used [24]. Following the guidelines and verification practices are important in ME prevention, but as found in earlier studies, more than half of the nurses often fail to follow guidelines during medication administration in Finland [25] and rule violations are common globally [26]; these are not only nursing problems.…”

Design and development of automated dispensing machine as medical device-based application: A review

“…Approximately 80% agreed that the ADM improved patients' safety. 118 As for the patients' experiences, Mertens et al 119 surveyed 62 patients to investigate the efficiency of an ADM. 119 Their result showed that most of the patients are satisfied with the ADM as it improved their ability to use medication appropriately. They stated that 40% of the patients agreed that the ADM prevented mistakes during their medication intake and also able to improve medication adherence.…”