title: Nurses' perceptions of and satisfaction with the use of automated dispensing cabinets at the Heart and Cancer Centers in Qatar: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Automated dispensing cabinets (ADCs) were introduced in 2010 and 2012 at the Heart Hospital (HH) and National Center for Cancer Care and Research (NCCCR), both run by Hamad Medical Corporation in Qatar. These medication distribution systems provide computer-controlled storage, dispensing, and tracking of drugs at the point of care in patient care units. The purpose of this study was to assess nurses' perceptions of and satisfaction with the use of ADCs at HH and NCCCR.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was conducted in the two institutions in May and November 2012 using a piloted, validated, online, and anonymous questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of four parts: nurses' sociodemographic and practice characteristics, 21 questions about their perceptions, one question about their overall satisfaction, and one about the system's ease of use. The self-administered survey was distributed to 503 nurses working at HH and NCCCR over three weeks using Survey Monkey®.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The survey response rate was 80 % (n = 403). No significant difference was found in perception scores between the two institutions (p = 0.06). Ninety-four percent (n = 378) of nurses agreed that the medication delivery system allowed them to do their job more safely, and 90 % (n = 363) nurses agreed that they now spent less time waiting for medication from the pharmacy than they did before the ADC system was introduced. Eighty seven percent (n = 349) nurses agreed that they were able to administer medication more efficiently with the ADC system. The overall satisfaction rate (either "very satisfied" or "satisfied") for the two hospitals was 91 %.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The nurses' perceptions of and levels of satisfaction with the ADC system were very good over the 6 months after complete implementation and integration at HH and NCCCR. ADCs appear to increase efficiency in the medication process and should therefore improve the quality of care.
authors.affiliation: Pharmacy Department of NCCCR, and Pharmacy Department of Heart Hospital, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Manal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zaidan
authors.affiliation: Pharmacy Department, Heart Hospital, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Fatma
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rustom
authors.affiliation: Pharmacy Department NCCCR, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kassem
authors.affiliation: Pharmacy Department NCCCR, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Sumaya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Al Yafei
authors.affiliation: Nursing Department, Heart Hospital, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.affiliation: Social & Administrative Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Qatar University, PO Box 2713, Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Mohamed Izham M
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
keywords: Automated dispensing cabinet; Hospital Pharmacy; Nurses; Perception; Qatar; Satisfaction