Preparation for Workplace Realities: Educating Nursing Students on how to Manage Interruptions
Purpose
Assess the feasibility and acceptability of the Stay SAFE interruption management strategy.
Background and significance
Interruptions are pervasive in healthcare settings, increase risks for errors, and decrease task efficiency. Nurses primarily engage or multitask when interrupted, although the human factors literature supports the use of interruption management strategies to mitigate risks. Interruption management refers to actions used to handle an attempted interruption.
Theoretical/Conceptual framework
The Memory for Goals theory guided this study. The theory asserts that use of cues when interrupted, a key feature of Stay SAFE, can decrease errors and improve task efficiency.
Method
A multi-methods design was used. Volunteer prelicensure nursing students from four US schools participated. Simulated interrupted medication administration scenarios served as the pre-post-tests. Interruption management behaviors were assessed via direct observation at baseline, after receipt of an education bundle on Stay SAFE, and 4-6 weeks later. Perceptions of Stay SAFE were explored via audio-recorded semi-structured interviews.
Results
Sixty students participated. During the pretest, all engaged or multitasked when interrupted. Stay SAFE was used by 98% of participants in posttest 1, 93% in posttest 2, and 100% in posttest 3. Participants described Stay SAFE as easy to use and remember, felt that Stay SAFE would lessen risks for errors, and discussed using Stay SAFE when in hospital settings (e.g., clinical, workplace).
Conclusions
The findings support the feasibility and acceptability of Stay SAFE. Interruption management strategies, like Stay SAFE, aim to decrease risks for errors; their use may lead to improved patient care. Educators are encouraged to integrate interruption management education into their nursing curricula.
Preparation for Workplace Realities: Educating Nursing Students on how to Manage Interruptions
