Nursing staff's assessments of medication management process in the psychiatric and operative domains: A cross-sectional study after introduction of an electronic medication chart

Abstract

Aims and objectives: To describe nursing staff's assessments of medication management process in the psychiatric and operative domains after introduction of an electronic medication chart.

Background: The medication management process includes all structures and practices within the organisation that guide and support medication administration and related procedures.

Design: A cross-sectional survey.

Methods: A Finnish version of the Medication Administration System - Nurses Assessment of Satisfaction (modified MAS-NAS) paper-based questionnaire was sent to all nursing staff (N = 855) working in operative (n = 498) and psychiatric (n = 357) domains in one central hospital. Data were analysed using statistical methods.

Results: In total, 324 nursing staff members participated. More than half agreed that medication management is efficient (64%), safe for patients (76%), and that the current medication administration system provides the necessary medical treatment information (e.g. prescriptions by physicians, medication data) (64%). Respondents' overall satisfaction with medication management process was slightly above average on a scale from 1 to 10 (mean = 6.2; SD = 1.8; median = 7, range 2-9). Respondents who used electronic medication chart reported higher overall satisfaction with medication management process (median = 7, mean = 6.1, SD = 1.8 and range 2-9) than those not using it (median = 6.5, mean = 6.3, SD = 1.6 and range 2-9). No statistically significant difference was found (U = 8552.000, p = 0.33).

Conclusions: This study revealed several problems in the medication management process. The results can be used in developing the medication management process.

Relevance to clinical practice: Electronic medication chart should be used and developed further in terms of efficacy, safety and access. One year after the electronic medication chart was introduced, only half of the respondents had used it. That is why implementation of electronic systems or technological applications should be carefully considered as a whole.

Keywords: medication error; medication management; medications; nursing information system; patient safety; survey.