The Stay SAFE Project: Implementation of an Evidence-Based Interruption Management Strategy with Novice Nurses
Nature and scope of the project
The aim of this project is to implement an evidence-based practice change to improve interruption management among novice nurses. The project involves teaching nurses the Stay SAFE strategy. Stay SAFE is an acronym that serves as a reminder to form an associative cure (the “A” in SAFE), in addition to other actions, when interrupted to mitigate risks for errors.
Synthesis and analysis of supporting literature
Medication errors are a leading cause of preventable patient harm in the U.S. Interruptions are prevalent during nurse medication administration and can increase the risk of making a medication error by five times. Use of associative cues when interrupted, a key feature of Stay SAFE, has been shown to improve performance of interrupted tasks. The Stay SAFE strategy has been investigated among nursing students – participants reported increased confidence with interruption management and that Stay SAFE was easy to use.
Project implementation
This evidence-based practice project includes training personnel in a nurse residency program on teaching strategies for Stay SAFE. The personnel will then train the nurse residents on the Stay SAFE. Implementation will begin January 2025 at two hospitals in the Trinity Health System.
Evaluation criteria
Evaluation will include data from personnel on satisfaction with the training, knowledge of Stay SAFE, and perceived benefit of strategy. Evaluation data from the nurse residents will include the use of Stay SAFE and perceived effectiveness of the strategy.
Outcomes
Outcomes are pending.
Recommendations
This project could have implications for practice related to training novice nurses, including the feasibility of incorporating interruption management training into a nurse residency program.
The Stay SAFE Project: Implementation of an Evidence-Based Interruption Management Strategy with Novice Nurses
