UNDERUTILIZATION OF SMART PUMP SAFETY FEATURES

The purpose of this quality improvement project was to improve adherence with the use of the safety features of the smart pumps in the intensive care unit (ICU) of a Los Angeles Hospital in order to decrease the risk of medication errors. The specific aims were to identify nurses’ perceptions of the barriers to adherence with the safety features of the smart pump and to implement processes to increase compliance. Barriers were identified by asking the ICU nurses to complete a web-based questionnaire. Based on the responses and information found in scholarly literature, improvements were determined and implemented. Overall, there was a 0.7% increase in adherence which was shown to be statistically significant (p = 0.002). Another key finding was that the night shift nurses improved 1.3%, also statistically significant (p = 0.00). Continuous improvement for this process is needed to minimize the risk of potentially catastrophic medication errors. A strong collaboration between pharmacy, nursing, and the pump manufacturer may eliminate adherence issues