This document summarizes a study that will evaluate a drug prescribing mobile application called Prescribe4. The study will compare prescription and reconstitution errors and time to administration between final year medical and nursing students using Prescribe4 versus traditional prescribing methods. Student pairs will be randomly assigned to a control group using traditional methods or an experimental group trained on Prescribe4. Scenarios involving simulated patients with supraventricular tachycardia will assess the outcomes. Recruitment is planned for August 2014 with data analysis dependent on sample size and presentation of results in 2015.

1. ALERT Presentation:
Evaluation of a drug
prescribing app in a simulated
scenario
Dr Paul Sampson & Dr David Grant
Bristol Medical Simulation Centre, UK
INSPIRE @ IPSSW 2014: Vienna, Austria
International Network for Simulation-based Pediatric Innovation, Research and Education

2. • Drug errors particularly common in Paediatrics
• Medical apps have largely unofficial use
• Lack of evidence that medical care is improved
• Prescribe4 app allows printing of prescription
label with correct dose and reconstitution
instructions
International Network for Simulation-based Pediatric Innovation, Research and Education
Background

3. • P: Staff involved in prescribing &
administering drugs to children
• I: Prescribe4 App
• C: Traditional prescribing
• O: Prescription & Reconstitution errors,
Time to administration
International Network for Simulation-based Pediatric Innovation, Research and Education
Study Method

4. Final Year Medical & Nursing Students
Pairs of 1 Medical & 1 Nursing Student
Control group Prescribe4 group
Randomisation
Traditional
prescription training
Drug reconstitution
training
Drug reconstitution
training
Prescribe4 Training
Familiarisation scenario – Traditional Familiarisation scenario – Prescribe4
SVT Teaching SVT Teaching
SVT Scenario
Traditional training
SVT Scenario
medics nurses medics nurses
Pairs recombine Pairs recombine
Study Method
Prescribe 4training

5. Study Method

6. • ALERT Presentation 22/4/2014
• Grant Proposal n/a
• IRB Submission pending
• Recruitment / Data Collection August 2014
• Data Analysis depends on sample size
• Abstract Presentation protocol presented at IPSSW 2014
• Manuscript Preparation 2015
International Network for Simulation-based Pediatric Innovation, Research and Education
Timeline

7. 1. How to improve efficiency in view of large
numbers required (48 pairs in each group)?
2. What is the most important aspect in
maintaining uniformity of scenarios
throughout study?
3. Are there any other outcome measures
(usability)?
International Network for Simulation-based Pediatric Innovation, Research and Education
3 Questions to improve study

8. Paul Sampson
psampson@gmail.com
David Grant
david.grant@nhs.net
www.bmsc.co.uk
International Network for Simulation-based Pediatric Innovation, Research and Education
Contact Information