Usability and Medication Error Rates of Pneumatic Versus Volumetric Pumps During a Perioperative Cardiac Surgery Simulation: A Prospective Pilot Study.

INTRODUCTION

This study compares 2 commercially available infusion pumps in a simulated cardiac surgical perioperative setting to assess differences in usability, medication errors, and programming workload among experienced and trainee healthcare professionals. Perioperative medications are frequently administered to patients via infusion pumps. Major issues in the perioperative period include medication errors, usability challenges, and workflow inefficiencies.

METHODS

Simulation of a cardiac perioperative setting was used to observe 24 trainee and experienced healthcare professionals. The primary outcome was time to correct completion of each drug infusion task. Participants completed usability and workload surveys after each simulation.

RESULTS

Participants were comparable with regard to demographics, prior work, and simulation experience. Results showed no significant difference with regard to time to correct completion of each drug infusion task. There was a significant increase in aggregate Systems Usability Scores among anesthesia professionals favoring use of the pneumatic pump. There were no significant differences in either cohort in aggregates score of the NASA Task Load Index.

CONCLUSIONS

Aggregate System Usability Scoring among anesthesia professionals favored pneumatic pump use. However, there were no differences in time to complete infusion task or in medication errors in each pump group.