Enhancing Medication Administration Safety: A Retrospective Evaluation of Mobile Device Adoption in Barcode Safety Administration

Purpose: Medication administration errors are a significant risk in nursing practice, and barcode medication administration (BCMA) has long proven to be an effective intervention in reducing these errors. This project is a retrospective analysis and program evaluation aimed at assessing the impact of mobile devices on BCMA compliance. Given that the type of device used can influence nurses' adoption of this technology, we hypothesized that the widespread use of mobile devices would significantly improve BCMA compliance rates. In 2020, a new mobile technology was introduced, enabling nurses to use their smartphones for medication administration. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, no formal evaluation was conducted to assess staff engagement with this device or its effect on BCMA compliance. This project addresses this gap, driven by the need to optimize technology solutions in healthcare settings.

Description: Proctor’s Framework for Program Evaluation defines a successful program based on three key outcomes: achieving the desired clinical outcomes (e.g., improved BCMA compliance), successful implementation (e.g., adoption of the technology), and long-term sustainability (e.g., cost-effectiveness). Using this framework, nurses from the emergency and mother/baby departments were surveyed to assess their adoption of mobile devices for BCMA. A comparative analysis was conducted to evaluate BCMA compliance rates before and after implementing mobile devices and compare their use with traditional computer systems. Additionally, correlations among nurses' age, years of experience, and adoption of mobile devices were examined to identify factors influencing technology acceptance in nursing practice.

Evaluation: Following the implementation of the mobile application, BCMA compliance notably increased from 87% to 93% in the emergency department and reached 98% in the mother/baby unit with mobile device usage, compared to 85% with the computer on wheels. Additionally, nurses reported no scanner issues with the mobile device, compared to a 6% scanner failure rate with computers. Correlations were identified between nurses' age and their acceptance of the device, as well as generational differences in preference for the mobile device, suggesting a greater inclination toward technological adoption among younger nursing staff (H(3)= 8.69, p=.034; rs(72)= -.235, p=.044).

Learning outcome: Integrating mobile devices into medication administration enhances patient safety by reducing errors and increasing nurse satisfaction with scanning. This project's findings underscore the importance of equipping nurses for technological advancements in health care and provide valuable insights into the impact of mobile devices on medication administration practices.