ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: to analyze the characteristics of the work organization performed by nursing staff regarding medication administration procedures and their implications on the workload of these professionals and on patient safety. METHOD: the study design is exploratory, with mixed method research and an ecological restorative approach. Data were collected between January 2014 and March 2015, in three inpatient units of a teaching hospital in the south of Brazil, by means of photo walkabout and focus groups, in the qualitative step. In the quantitative phase data were collected from the 162 lists of patients assigned to nursing technicians during their work shifts. RESULTS: the administration of medications has an impact on the professionals' workload and patient safety. FINAL CONSIDERATIONS: there are weaknesses in the process that may contribute to medication administration errors, which are related to the number of doses and the number of patients assigned to each professional.
Subject(s)
Medication Systems/standards , Patient Safety/standards , Workload/psychology , Brazil , Focus Groups/methods , Humans , Medication Errors/nursing , Medication Errors/statistics & numerical data , Medication Systems/trends , Nurses/psychology , Nurses/standards , Nursing Assistants/psychology , Nursing Assistants/standards , Patients' Rooms/organization & administration , Qualitative Research , Workload/standardsABSTRACT
ABSTRACT Objective: to analyze the characteristics of the work organization performed by nursing staff regarding medication administration procedures and their implications on the workload of these professionals and on patient safety. Method: the study design is exploratory, with mixed method research and an ecological restorative approach. Data were collected between January 2014 and March 2015, in three inpatient units of a teaching hospital in the south of Brazil, by means of photo walkabout and focus groups, in the qualitative step. In the quantitative phase data were collected from the 162 lists of patients assigned to nursing technicians during their work shifts. Results: the administration of medications has an impact on the professionals' workload and patient safety. Final considerations: there are weaknesses in the process that may contribute to medication administration errors, which are related to the number of doses and the number of patients assigned to each professional.
RESUMO Objetivo: analisar as características da organização do trabalho da equipe de enfermagem quanto aos procedimentos de administração de medicamentos e suas implicações na carga de trabalho desses profissionais e na segurança do paciente. Método: estudo exploratório, com método misto de pesquisa e abordagem restaurativa ecológica. Os dados foram coletados entre janeiro de 2014 e março de 2015, em três unidades de internação de um hospital universitário do sul do Brasil, por meio de caminhada fotográfica (CF) e grupos focais (GF) na etapa qualitativa. Na fase quantitativa, foram coletados dados das 162 listas de pacientes atribuídos aos técnicos de enfermagem durante seus turnos de trabalho. Resultados: a administração de medicamentos impacta na carga de trabalho dos profissionais e na segurança dos pacientes. Considerações finais: as fragilidades existentes no processo podem contribuir para erros na administração de medicamentos, que estão relacionados com o número de doses e ao número de pacientes atribuídos a cada profissional.
RESUMEN Objetivo: analizar las características de la organización del trabajo real del equipo de enfermería en cuanto a los procedimientos de administración de medicamentos y sus implicaciones en la carga de trabajo de estos profesionales y en la seguridad del paciente. Método: investigación exploratoria con método mixto y enfoque ecológico y restaurativo. Los datos fueron recolectados entre enero de 2014 y marzo de 2015 en tres unidades de internación de un hospital universitario del sur de Brasil, por medio de caminada fotográfica (CF) y grupos focales (GF) en la etapa cualitativa. En la fase cuantitativa, se recogieron datos de las 162 listas de pacientes asignados a los técnicos de enfermería durante sus turnos de trabajo. Resultados: la administración de medicamentos tiene un impacto en la carga de trabajo de los profesionales y en la seguridad del paciente. Consideraciones finales: hay debilidades en el proceso que pueden contribuir a los errores de administración de medicamentos, que están relacionados con el número de dosis y el número de pacientes asignados a cada profesional.