OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to evaluate outcomes of a bedside barcode technology intervention on medication administration time in an intensive care unit (ICU). METHODS: A prospective observational time-and-motion experimental study was conducted by considering two medication administration processes (a paper based approach vs. the bedside barcode system) in a large 500+ bed hospital setting.  Medication administration by the nurse was operationalized as activities such as direct or indirect patient care, administration, and miscellaneous. Time devoted to complete these medication administration activities were measured separately by means of two pre-calibrated stop watches. Complexity factors of medication administration (age, sex, body-weight, comorbidities, number of drugs administered, and length of ICU stay) were included in linear regression model to predict time required for each of those medication administration activities.   RESULTS: One hundred and fifty-one electronically documented medication administrations with the bedside barcode system were evaluated  Mean times of direct patient care activity (182.32±131.68 seconds) and administration activity (59.83±74.53 seconds) during bedside barcode medication administration improved significantly in comparison with paper based approach. In the bedside barcode system, significant (p<0.05) predictors of time associated with direct patient care activity was number of drugs administered, for indirect patient care activity was comorbidities, and for administration activity was length of ICU stay.   CONCLUSIONS: Variables that predict medication administration time in the bedside barcode system were different across the categorized activities. To develop and implement efficient systems, such variables should be monitored and controlled as high cost technology is adopted by hospitals.