A Novel Interruption Management Intervention for New Graduate Nurses During Medication Administration

NCT07599215 | Completed

• 2 other identifiers: BaystateMCno number provided
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 56
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of education in the Stay S.A.F.E. interruption management strategy on nurses' responses to interruptions during simulated medication administration. Primary outcomes included 1) response to the interrupter, including adherence to Stay S.A.F.E. behaviors, and 2) time away from the primary task. Secondary outcomes included 1) medication administration errors and 2) perceived workload as measured by the NASA Task Load Index.

Conditions

Nurses; Education Nursing; Career Mobility; Simulation Based Learning

Keywords

new graduate nurses; interruptions; medication administration; interruption management; medication errors; eye tracking

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Response to Interrupter Using the Stay S.A.F.E. Strategy

  The primary outcome is the participant's response to a clinical interruption, assessed using an eye tracking device (ETD). Study personnel recorded interruption management behaviors, Stay S.A.F.E., using a structured data collection tool and whether the participant immediately accepted the interruption ("took report").

  During simulation (immediate assessment at interruption; within a 30 minute session)

• Time away from primary task

  Time away from the primary medication-administration task is measured using eye tracking device (ETD) recordings. Two trained study team members review recorded sessions to determine the duration between the onset of the interruption and the participant's return to the primary task, defined as the point at which the participant's ETD crosshairs re-engage with the medication-administration activity. Time is calculated using timestamp data captured within the ETD recordings.

  During simulated interruption event (from onset of interruption to return to primary task; within a 30-minute session)

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• medication administration errors

  During simulation (real-time assessment with post-simulation validation; up to 30 minutes).

• Perceived Workload (NASA Task Load Index)

  Immediately following the simulation (within a 30-minute session).

Study Arms (2)

Stay S.A.F.E. Interruption Management Education

EXPERIMENTAL

Other: Experimental: Stay S.A.F.E. Interruption Management Education; Other: Medication Safety Education

Medication Safety Education

SHAM COMPARATOR

Other: Medication Safety Education

Interventions

Experimental: Stay S.A.F.E. Interruption Management Education OTHER

The Stay S.A.F.E. strategy is a structured, behavioral approach designed to support task focus and safe task resumption during interruptions. It consists of the following steps: Stay physically in the current location and remain engaged in the primary task; when possible, physically hold task-related items. Say aloud what you are doing at the moment of interruption, being as specific as possible while maintaining patient privacy. Acknowledge the person interrupting you without looking away from the primary task. Fixate visually and cognitively on the current place in the task for one to two seconds and identify a natural stopping point. Estimate the time needed to complete or pause the task before attending to the interrupter, providing a realistic timeframe.

Stay S.A.F.E. Interruption Management Education

Medication Safety Education OTHER

11 slide narrated PowerPoint presentation focused on medication safety practices.

Medication Safety Education; Stay S.A.F.E. Interruption Management Education

Eligibility Criteria

• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• A convenience sample of new graduate nurses within the first year of practice as a nurse.

You may not qualify if:

• nurses with \>1 year of practice

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Baystate Medical Center: lead

Study Sites (1)

Baystate Medical Center

Springfield, Massachusetts, 01199, United States

Location

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Director of Nursing Research

Model Details: Participants are assigned to one of two groups in parallel for the duration of the study.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 11, 2026
• First Posted: May 20, 2026
• Study Start: May 13, 2024
• Primary Completion: September 25, 2024
• Study Completion: September 25, 2024
• Last Updated: May 20, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-05

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)