OBJECTIVES: To evaluate perception of nurses regarding performance obstacles and the ease of work with the medication administration process after implementation of a bedside bar-coded medication administration system and a medication dispensing system in an intensive care unit (ICU) at a tertiary hospital. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was conducted to compare medication administration time before and after these two interventions using a pre-validated instrument.  The bedside bar-coded medication administration system was implemented in 2008 and the medication dispensing system was implemented in 2009.  Perception of nurses regarding timeliness of completion, documentation burden, administration burden, and ease of detection of medication errors during the medication administration process were measured using a 5 point Likert scale - from 1 (Strongly Disagree) to 5 (Strongly Agree).  Descriptive and comparative (t test) analyses were conducted using SAS 9.2® to evaluate the impact of technological intervention on the nurses’ perception. RESULTS: A total of 99 pre-intervention and 109 post-intervention responses were recorded for every medication administration process.  Mean (± SD) perception score regarding timeliness of completion has been significantly (p<0.05) reduced from the pre-intervention period (2.8 ±2.1) to the post intervention period (1.6±2.2).  Similarly, mean scores for documentation (pre: 3.2±1.9 vs. post: 1.6±2.2) and administration (pre: 2.8±2.2 vs. post: 1.6±2.2) burden also improved significantly (p<0.05) after the intervention.  There was no significant change in the perception score regarding ease of detection of medication errors (pre: 2.3±2.3 vs. post: 1.7±2.3). CONCLUSIONS: Nurses perceived less documentation and administration burden after the implementation of the technological intervention.  These opinions help validate the role of health technology assessment in improving performance.