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Minimizing Harm From ADEs by Improving Nurse-Physician Communication (MED-COMM)
This study has been completed.

First Received on December 12, 2007.   Last Updated on January 27, 2012   History of Changes
Sponsor: Department of Veterans Affairs
Information provided by (Responsible Party): Department of Veterans Affairs
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00574990
  Purpose

The purpose of this research study is to examine the clinical processes of care involved with the sharing and communicating of medication management information in the inpatient setting between nurses, pharmacists and physicians. The study is unique in that few studies have examined communication content and processes in depth and in relation to specific clinical care. The study will be conducted in two phases. The first phase involves using three focus groups across three sites (a total of nine) each involving between 7-10 individuals to examine perceptions regarding role and procedures associated with medication management. The focus group discussions will be tape-recorded and analyzed using qualitative methods. The information gleaned will assist us in identifying patterns of problems in enhancing the sharing of information, to develop better measures for assessing communication as well as designing effective interventions to enhance communication.

In the second phase of the study, 400 2-hour time slots will be randomly selected over about a 5-week period for nursing staff and 500 events over a 6-week period for physicians to conduct ethnographic observations during which specific communication events will be recorded and coded. Every effort will be made to minimize interruptions during clinical care. Information gleaned in this phase will help us measure the types of communication patterns, content and characteristics. This research has not been done in terms of medication management content in the inpatient setting (non-ICU).


Condition
Interdisciplinary Communication
Management, Medication Therapy

Study Type: Observational
Study Design: Time Perspective: Prospective
Official Title: Minimizing Harm From ADEs by Improving Nurse-Physician Communication

Further study details as provided by Department of Veterans Affairs:

Primary Outcome Measures:
  • Qualitative information [ Time Frame: 6 months ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

Estimated Enrollment: 50
Study Start Date: January 2008
Study Completion Date: September 2009
Primary Completion Date: September 2009 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
Groups/Cohorts
1
providers, nurses and pharmacists

Detailed Description:

Background:

Medication management is a complex clinical task. It requires substantial collaboration and coordination between physicians, nurses and pharmacists. Addressing ineffective communication has been identified by the Institute of Medicine as a high priority. Ineffective communication regarding medication management coordination can result in increased medication errors, rates of adverse drug events (ADEs), delays in treating adverse drug events and less effective treatment. ADEs are frequent in hospitalized patients, ranging from less than 3% to over 32%. The purpose of this study was to evaluate communication patterns associated with medication management between providers, physicians and pharmacists in the inpatient setting.

Objectives:

Specific Aim 1. Assess clinicians' beliefs and concerns regarding the role of communication in preventing, detecting and managing ADEs in elderly inpatients (focus groups).

Specific Aim 2. Evaluate and characterize communication events between nurses, physicians and pharmacists in an inpatient medicine setting (ethnographic observation).

Methods:

Phase 1: Focus Groups Design: The design of this study was qualitative and used focus group methodology.

Settings: Three VA sites that differed in size, location and academic affiliation were selected.

Participants: Three focus groups were conducted at each site (one each of pharmacists, nurses and physicians). A total of 19 nurses, 16 pharmacists and 13 doctors participated.

Phase 2: Observation Design: The design of this study was quantitative and descriptive. Settings: Two inpatient units at the VA Salt Lake City Health Care System (medicine and telemetry).

Participants: Twelve residents were selected randomly from each of the 4 medical teams, 19 nurses were selected randomly from the two in-patient medicine wards, and 8 clinical pharmacists (the total number of clinical pharmacists available) agreed to participate.

Status:

All data have been collected and initial analyses has been completed.

  Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:   18 Years to 75 Years
Genders Eligible for Study:   Both
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:   Yes
Sampling Method:   Non-Probability Sample
Study Population

VA nurses, pharmacists and physicians

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

Providers who are working in the VA on the inpatient setting, including pharmacists, nurses, and physicians.

Exclusion Criteria:

Staff who have worked at the VA less than 1 year.

  Contacts and Locations
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00574990

Locations
United States, California
VA Medical Center, San Francisco
San Francisco, California, United States, 94121
United States, North Carolina
VA Medical Center, Asheville
Asheville, North Carolina, United States, 28805
United States, Utah
Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City, Utah, United States, 84148
Sponsors and Collaborators
Investigators
Principal Investigator: Charlene Raye Weir, PhD RN Salt Lake City
  More Information

Publications:
Responsible Party: Department of Veterans Affairs
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00574990     History of Changes
Other Study ID Numbers: NRI 05-275
Study First Received: December 12, 2007
Last Updated: January 27, 2012
Health Authority: United States: Federal Government

Keywords provided by Department of Veterans Affairs:
Interdisciplinary Communication
Safety Management
Management, Medication Therapy
Cooperative Behavior
Drug Therapy Management
Physician Nurse Relationships
Side Effects
Hospital Information Systems
Documentation
Quality Assurance, Health Care

ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on February 12, 2012