Interruptions in Pharmacy Practice Pose Safety Risks Due to Distractions

Recent research highlights that disruptions such as phone calls, face-to-face inquiries from customers, and out-of-scope questions from staff are common sources of distraction during medication dispensing in pharmacy settings. Conducted by Monash University's Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, the study analyzed 51 previous studies and found that pharmacists can experience interruptions up to 20 times per hour. These interruptions significantly impact the efficiency and accuracy of dispensing, increase workload, and may compromise patient safety.

The study emphasizes that despite some interventions like modifying physical environments and workflow adjustments, there is a notable lack of comprehensive strategies to address these interruptions. The researchers advocate for more education programs to prepare pharmacy students for managing such distractions effectively, which is crucial given that dispensing medicines requires precise knowledge, skills, and clinical judgment.

Associate Professor Dan Malone, the study’s lead author, stresses that training future pharmacists to handle interruptions can reduce errors and improve safety. Ph.D. candidate Meaza Ayanaw is researching how simulated dispensing scenarios can help understand the effects of distractions on clinical decision-making. The study concludes that future efforts should focus on implementing active workplace interventions and systematically studying different types of disruptions to identify effective solutions.

Overall, the research underlines the importance of addressing distractions in pharmacy practice to protect patient safety and improve medication management quality.

Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-05-disrupt-pharmacy-safety.html