Abstract
Purpose: Work interruption is a major factor that increases nurses’ workload, and multitasking during medication tasks is associated with medication errors. This study aimed to report the frequency, source, and response of interruptions during work, focusing on medication tasks and the differences between functional nursing and integrated team nursing delivery systems.
Methods: This study was conducted in August 2023 in two wards operating under different nursing delivery systems in a general hospital in South Korea. The observers shadowed each nurse individually, monitoring their work hours; 12 shifts (five day and seven evening shifts) for the functional nursing delivery system ward and 10 shifts (five day and five evening shifts) for the team nursing delivery system ward were observed. Data, including nurses’ work interruptions, interruption sources, and responses were recorded on each observer’s personal tablet computer using the WOMBAT application.
Results: The average working hours per shift and proportion of direct nursing care among shift work were 8 h 08 min 54 s and (54.4%) for the functional nursing care ward, and 8 h 15 min 59 s (51.2%) for the team nursing care ward. In the functional nursing care ward, 1,096 interruptions occurred, and 30.8% of the interruptions occurred during medication administration, whereas in the functional nursing care ward, they were 766 interruptions and 35% occurred during medication administration. In response to work interruptions, nurses mostly engaged in multitasking (49.4%) or switched tasks (35.6%) to address new demands. Eighty-one-point-nine percent and 74% interruptions occurred during medication-related work in the functional and team nursing care wards, respectively, to which nurses responded with multitasking and communication with other professionals.
Conclusion: The findings of this study showed that nurses’ work is interrupted, and multitasking occurs frequently during medication administration. Therefore, it is necessary to discuss the risks associated with multitasking during medication administration. Further studies should examine the impact of these interruptions on medical errors and nurses’ workloads.
Notes
References:
Browne, J., & Braden, C. J. (2020). Nursing turbulence in critical care: Relationships with nursing workload and patient safety. American Journal of Critical Care, 29(3), 182-191.
Owen, S., Menzies, J., & Pontefract, S. (2023). Educational interventions to reduce nurse medication interruptions: A scoping review. Nurse Education Today, 121, 105665.
Shan, Y., Shang, J., Yan, Y., & Ye, X. (2023). Workflow interruption and nurses’ mental workload in electronic health record tasks: An observational study. BMC nursing, 22(1), 63.
Tsegaye, D., Alem, G., Tessema, Z., & Alebachew, W. (2020). Medication administration errors and associated factors among nurses. International Journal of General Medicine, 13, 1621-1632.
Wang, W. (2021). Current status and influencing factors of nursing interruption events. The American Journal of Managed Care, 27(6), e188-e194.
Sigma Membership
Non-member
Type
Poster
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Observational
Research Approach
Other
Keywords:
Competence, Workforce, Policy and Advocacy, Interruptions and Responses, Multitasking
Recommended Citation
Hong, Kyung Jin, "Nurses’ Work Interruption and Response: Medication Tasks and Difference by Nursing Delivery System" (2025). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 74.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2025/posters_2025/74
Conference Name
36th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Seattle, Washington, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Nurses’ Work Interruption and Response: Medication Tasks and Difference by Nursing Delivery System
Seattle, Washington, USA
Purpose: Work interruption is a major factor that increases nurses’ workload, and multitasking during medication tasks is associated with medication errors. This study aimed to report the frequency, source, and response of interruptions during work, focusing on medication tasks and the differences between functional nursing and integrated team nursing delivery systems.
Methods: This study was conducted in August 2023 in two wards operating under different nursing delivery systems in a general hospital in South Korea. The observers shadowed each nurse individually, monitoring their work hours; 12 shifts (five day and seven evening shifts) for the functional nursing delivery system ward and 10 shifts (five day and five evening shifts) for the team nursing delivery system ward were observed. Data, including nurses’ work interruptions, interruption sources, and responses were recorded on each observer’s personal tablet computer using the WOMBAT application.
Results: The average working hours per shift and proportion of direct nursing care among shift work were 8 h 08 min 54 s and (54.4%) for the functional nursing care ward, and 8 h 15 min 59 s (51.2%) for the team nursing care ward. In the functional nursing care ward, 1,096 interruptions occurred, and 30.8% of the interruptions occurred during medication administration, whereas in the functional nursing care ward, they were 766 interruptions and 35% occurred during medication administration. In response to work interruptions, nurses mostly engaged in multitasking (49.4%) or switched tasks (35.6%) to address new demands. Eighty-one-point-nine percent and 74% interruptions occurred during medication-related work in the functional and team nursing care wards, respectively, to which nurses responded with multitasking and communication with other professionals.
Conclusion: The findings of this study showed that nurses’ work is interrupted, and multitasking occurs frequently during medication administration. Therefore, it is necessary to discuss the risks associated with multitasking during medication administration. Further studies should examine the impact of these interruptions on medical errors and nurses’ workloads.
Description
This study aimed to report the frequency, source, and response to interruptions during work, focusing on medication tasks, through observation. Nurses’ work was frequently interrupted, particularly during the medication process, when a significant amount of time was spent communicating with professionals and multitasking. Further studies should examine the impact of these interruptions on medical errors and nurses’ workloads.