Annotated Bibliography on Technology in Nursing. Electronic Medication Administration with Barcoding

Eunice

9 hours ago

Annotated Bibliography on Technology in Nursing. Electronic Medication Administration with Barcoding

Introduction to the Selected Technology Topic

In today’s rapidly evolving healthcare environment, technology plays an essential role in promoting patient safety, improving workflow efficiency, and ensuring high-quality nursing care. One such transformative technology is Electronic Medication Administration with Barcoding (eMAR with barcoding), which involves scanning the barcode on a patient’s wristband and on the prescribed medication before administration. This double-verification process ensures that the “five rights” of medication administration—right patient, right drug, right dose, right route, and right time—are met with consistency and accuracy: Annotated Bibliography on Technology in Nursing. Electronic Medication Administration with Barcoding.

I selected this topic because of its direct impact on patient outcomes and daily relevance to nursing practice. Among the many technologies available, eMAR with barcoding stands out for its clear link to patient safety and the way it empowers nurses to prevent harmful medication errors. This technology is particularly interesting because it not only enhances care accuracy but also improves documentation, compliance, and interdisciplinary communication.

Importantly, eMAR with barcoding qualifies as a direct patient care technology. This is because it involves face-to-face interaction between the nurse and the patient, as the barcode scanning takes place at the bedside and in real-time. Unlike indirect care technologies—such as clinical documentation systems—this technology supports actual care delivery by requiring the nurse to confirm the patient’s identity, interact with them during the medication administration process, and observe their response afterwards. For this reason, it is a fitting example of how technology is used to directly influence patient health and safety at the point of care.

For my research process, I used electronic databases, including PubMed, CINAHL, and ProQuest Nursing & Allied Health. I searched using terms such as “barcode medication administration,” “electronic medication administration,” “nursing technology,” and “patient safety with BCMA.” I filtered for peer-reviewed articles published from 2021 onwards, ensuring that the evidence presented was both current and applicable to today’s clinical settings. I selected four scholarly sources that offered diverse perspectives—ranging from statistical analyses to qualitative nursing insights—on the impact of this technology.

Annotated Bibliography

Grailey, K., Brazier, A., Franklin, B. D., McCrudden, C., Crespo, R. F., Brown, H., Bird, J., Acharya, A., Gregory, A., Darzi, A., & Huf, S. (2024). Raising the barcode: Improving medication safety behaviours through a behavioural science-informed feedback intervention. A quality improvement project and difference-in-difference analysis. BMJ Quality & Safety, 33(10), 682–690. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjqs-2023-016868

In this quality improvement study, Grailey et al. (2024) investigate the effect of a behaviourally grounded feedback intervention to improve barcode medication administration (BCMA) adherence in five NHS hospital wards. The intervention, grounded in behavioral science theory, used gamification, gain framing, and the messenger effect to engage and motivate nurse behavior. Weekly feedback of data, posters, and word of mouth during shift changeover was used to increase scanning activity among nurses.

There was a 23.1 percentage point increase in medication scan rates on intervention wards relative to controls (p < 0.001) in a difference-in-difference analysis. While increases in scan rates were greatest during the first six weeks, benefits persisted throughout the 18-week trial. The intervention was successful despite challenges like staffing requirements, environmental constraints, and pandemic-related interruptions.

This article is useful to nursing and interprofessional staff because it indicates how well-designed behavioral interventions can enable the following of safety protocols while not inducing operational burden. It offers practical, low-cost measures for increasing BCMA adherence, an issue of importance considering the widespread underutilization of barcode scanning in spite of its proven safety value. It is evident from the article that BCMA strategies based on behavioral science help patients stay safe by improving compliance with scans, ensuring accurate medicine administration and making human mistakes less likely.

Nurses were also favorable to public recognition and official feedback, illustrating the influence of motivational and cultural factors on technology implementation. Interprofessional coordination with pharmacists, behavioral scientists, and ward managers enabled strong implementation support. I selected this article because it provides practical lessons on how persistent issues in patient safety can be resolved through the combination of leadership, behavioral science, and frontline involvement. Its contribution is timely and helpful, presenting an evidence-based strategy for optimizing the effectiveness of direct patient care technologies like BCMA in real-world hospital settings.

Jedwab, R. M., Manias, E., Redley, B., Dobroff, N., & Hutchinson, A. M. (2023). Impacts of technology implementation on nurses’ work motivation, engagement, satisfaction and well‐being: A realist review. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 32(17–18), 6037–6060. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.16730

Jedwab et al. (2023) performed a realist review to learn how adopting EMRs or similar technologies at hospitals influences motivation, engagement, happiness, and overall quality of life for nurses. By taking a five-step realist method, the researchers blended evidence from ten studies to develop nine program theories based on previous and written literature. It points out several factors that may affect nurses when it comes to technology, for instance, their roles in introducing changes, their evaluation of the usefulness, training, and the kind of support available.

Those nurses who appreciated the reasons for the new practices received the required training and helped choose the technology, were more tolerant of technological changes and were more satisfied at work. Meanwhile, insufficient resources, blending in-office and remote work, or lacking personal rewards resulted in less motivation, dissatisfaction, and employees feeling burned out.

This article is important for nurses since it documents how technological changes can impact both the well-being and work performance of staff. Since nurses are the chief users of digital health applications, their enjoyment and satisfaction with them significantly affect a patient’s safety as well as overall retention. According to Jedwab et al. (2023), it takes both great function and other resources, like social backing, good communication, and unity, to truly succeed in implementing change. It demonstrates how teamwork between nursing leaders, IT personnel, and administrators can improve how a health system uses technology.

Due to its sound approach and wide use, this source is considered vital for healthcare organizations looking to set up or perfect electronic medication systems, including BCMA. It demonstrates that people experiencing technology also matter, besides whether it works well. I selected this publication because it offers a comprehensive, evidence-informed perspective on the human experience of technology integration, making it a crucial read for organizations aiming to enhance both safety outcomes and workforce satisfaction.

Karnehed, S., Pejner, M. N., Erlandsson, L., & Petersson, L. (2024). Electronic medication administration record (eMAR) in Swedish home healthcare—Implications for nurses’ and nurse assistants’ work environment: A qualitative study. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences, 38(2), 347–357. https://doi.org/10.1111/scs.13237

In their qualitative study, Karnehed et al. (2024) considered how introducing an electronic medication administration record (eMAR) affected the daily experiences of Swedish home healthcare nurses and nurse assistants (NAs). Informed by the Job Demand-Control-Support (JDCS) model, the authors looked at data from eight focus groups where 16 nurses and 9 NAs participated. Results showed that there were significant responses differences between the two groups following the introduction of eMAR.

Overall, nurses felt the system helped them in their duty to monitor, but NAs found the system made working demands high, gave them low control over their routines and sometimes required them to do things they were not familiar with. Having eMAR running in homes meant there were set rules and time limits that did not match the way home care was usually done. Both teams believed they were ignored during the design and deployment of the system and felt that lack of training was a problem.

This study is important as it reveals how technology for digital health, as far as it is concerned with improving efficiency and safety, can actually revolutionize work processes and work roles. The research emphasizes the need for implementation approaches that involve end-users and mold technology based on the character of clinical care. For nurses, the eMAR offered enhanced visibility and remote monitoring capabilities, which facilitated more efficient monitoring of delegated tasks.

For interprofessional teams, the system enabled communication and accountability but also revealed administrative expectations versus care delivery tensions. I selected this article because of its nuanced, contextual understanding of frontline experience with eMAR. It applies a critical perspective to the effect that technology has on not only care quality and safety but also on the psychological and professional welfare of staff using it, and therefore, it is a must-read for both policymakers and practitioners.

Williams, R., Kantilal, K., Man, K. K. C., Blandford, A., & Jani, Y. (2025). Barcode medication administration system use and safety implications: A data-driven longitudinal study supported by clinical observation. BMJ Health & Care Informatics, 32(1), e101214. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjhci-2024-101214

This longitudinal study by Williams et al. (2025) explores the utilization of barcode medication administration (BCMA) systems and the safety consequences within an NHS digitally mature hospital trust. Over 613,000 medication administrations were reviewed over a period of 16 months, and clinical observation on five wards was conducted to assess real-time patient and medication barcode scanning compliance. The study found significant heterogeneity in scanning compliance, with rates of 5.6% to 67% for medication scanning and 4.6% to 89% for patient scanning.

Unreadable barcodes, dysfunctional or non-working scanners, and inadequate system alignment with clinical workflow were all seen as frequent compliance obstacles. As a very notable finding, an informal nurse-led quality improvement (QI) effort within one of the wards saw significant improvement in scanning behavior, indicating that formal assistance can influence adoption positively. The authors also pointed out that 37% of the alerts on barcode mismatches led to a change in user behavior, showing the potential of the system to prevent medication errors when used appropriately.

This article is particularly applicable to nursing and interprofessional healthcare teams because it points to the impact of system design, leadership support, and frontline acceptance on technology uptake and safety outcomes. It also emphasizes the central role nurses play in medication administration and the way their realities of work can consolidate or undermine the value of safety technologies. For multi-disciplinary groups, findings highlight collaborative implementation strategies, continuous feedback, and technical assistance.

The scope of the study, combination of methods, and NHS-based setting identify it as an effective reference for practitioners engaged in understanding the possibilities and limitations of BCMA systems. It was selected owing to its robust data and practical observations on sustaining safety technology in routine clinical care.

Summary of Recommendation

All four studies indicate that using barcode medication administration (BCMA) reduces errors, supports patient safety, and builds better accountability for nurses, mainly when used along with reflective methods. It has been found that for implementation to be effective, the system should be easy to use, staff should be involved, and interventions focused on behavior are important (Williams et al., 2025; Grailey et al., 2024). Key organizational factors influencing technology adoption include leadership commitment, adequate funding, alignment with institutional policies, availability of training programs, cultural readiness for change, and empowering frontline staff to contribute to design and implementation.

Long-term compliance was possible in organizations where leaders approved, workers were adequately trained, there was access to necessary machinery, and safety was made a cultural priority (Karnehed et al., 2024; Jedwab et al., 2023). It is appropriate and justified to introduce BCMA because it leads to fewer errors in medicating patients and promotes a stronger feeling of trust among nurses and staff from other professions.

With its use, teams exchange information faster, are more responsible, and manage their work more smoothly, benefiting patients. By performing well in accreditation, the institution experiences lower risk and more credibility, and with improved role definition and better mood, nurses also benefit, along with teams made up of professionals from different fields. Altogether, the findings suggest that BCMA is a valid technology linked to improved healthcare quality in many different settings.

References

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Question

Prepare an annotated bibliography on technology in nursing. Specifically, electronic Medication Administration with Barcoding: This technology involves scanning barcodes on patient wristbands and medications to ensure the right patient receives the right medication at the right dose and time. It significantly reduces medication errors and enhances patient safety.

A well-prepared annotated bibliography is a comprehensive commentary on the content of scholarly publications and other sources of evidence about a selected nursing-related technology. A bibliography of this type provides a vehicle for workplace discussion to address gaps in nursing practice and to improve patient care outcomes. As nurses become more accountable in their practice, they are being called upon to expand their role of caregiver and advocate to include fostering research and scholarship to advance nursing practice. An annotated bibliography stimulates innovative thinking to find solutions and approaches to effectively and efficiently address these issues.
Select one of the options to use as the focus for this assessment.
- Direct patient care technologies require interaction, or direct contact, between the nurse and patient. Nurses use direct patient care technologies every day when delivering care to patients. Electronic thermometers or pulse oximeters are examples of direct patient care technologies.
- Indirect patient care technologies, on the other hand, are those employed on behalf of the patient. They do not require interaction, or direct contact, between the nurse and the patient. A handheld device for patient documentation is an example of indirect patient care technology.

Conduct a library search using the various peer reviewed electronic databases available.

Select four peer-reviewed publications focused on your selected topic that are the most interesting to you.
Evaluate the impact of patient care technologies on desired outcomes.
- Analyze current evidence on the impact of a selected patient care technology on patient safety, quality of care, and the interdisciplinary team.
- Integrate current evidence about the impact of a selected patient care technology on patient safety, quality of care, and the interdisciplinary team into a recommendation.
Publications may be research studies or review articles from a professional source. Newspapers, magazines, and blogs are not considered professional sources.
Your selections need to be current—within the last five years. (Published From 2021 Onwards)
Annotated Bibliography on Technology in Nursing. Electronic Medication Administration with Barcoding

Annotated Bibliography:

Next prepare a 4–6 page paper in which you introduce your selected technology and describe at least four peer-reviewed publications that promote the use of your selected technology to enhance quality and safety standards in nursing. You will conclude your paper by summarizing why you recommend a particular technology by underscoring the evidence-based resources you presented. Be sure that your paper includes all of the following elements:

Introduction to the Selected Technology Topic
- What is your rationale for selecting this particular technology topic? What is interesting about it?
- What research process did you employ?
  - Which databases did you use?
  - Which search terms did you use?
  - Note: In this section of your bibliography, you may use first-person since you are asked to describe your rationale for selecting the topic and the research strategies you employed. Use third person in the rest of the bibliography, however.
Annotation Elements
- For each resource, include the full reference followed by the annotation.
- Explain the focus of the research or review article you chose.
- Provide a summary overview of the publication.
  - According to this source, what is the impact of this technology on patient safety and quality of care?
  - According to this source, what is the relevance of this technology to nursing practice and the work of the interdisciplinary health care team?
  - Why did you select this publication to write about out of the many possible options? In other words, make the case as to why this resource is important for health care practitioners to read.
Summary of Recommendation
- How would you tie together the key learnings from each of the four publications you examined?
- What organizational factors influence the selection of a technology in a health care setting? Consider such factors as organizational policies, resources, culture/social norms, commitment, training programs, and/or employee empowerment.
- How would you justify the implementation and use of the technology in a health care setting? This is the section where you will justify (prove) that the implementation of the patient care technology is appropriate or not. The evidence should be cited from the literature that was noted in the annotated bibliography.
  - Consider the impact of the technology on the health care organization, patientcare/satisfaction, and interdisciplinary team productivity, satisfaction, and retention.
Additional requirements:
- Written communication: Ensure written communication is free of errors that detract from the overall message.
- Length: 4–6-typed, double-spaced pages.
- Number of resources: Cite a minimum of four peer-reviewed publications, not websites.
- Font and font size: Use Times New Roman, 12 point.
- APA: Follow APA style and formatting guidelines for all bibliographic entries. Refer to Evidence and APA as needed.