BackgroundThis study aimed to assess the types and frequency of medication errors in our NICUs (neonatal intensive care units).MethodsThis descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on two neonatal intensive care units of two hospitals over 3 months. Demographic information, drug information and total number of prescriptions for each neonate were extracted from medical records and assessed.ResultsA total of 688 prescriptions for 44 types of drugs were checked for the assessment of medical records of 155 neonates. There were 509 medication errors, averaging (SD) 3.38 (+/− 5.49) errors per patient. Collectively, 116 neonates (74.8%) experienced at least one medication error. Term neonates and preterm neonates experienced 125 and 384 medication errors, respectively. The most frequent medication errors were wrong dosage by physicians in prescription phase [WU1] (142 errors; 28%) and not administering medication by nurse in administration phase (146 errors; 29%). Of total 688 prescriptions, 127 errors were recorded. In this regard, lack of time and/or date of order were the most common errors.ConclusionsThe most frequent medication errors were wrong dosage and not administering the medication to patient, and on the quality of prescribing, lack of time and/or date of order was the most frequent one. Medication errors happened more frequently in preterm neonates (P < 0.001). We think that using computerized physician order entry (CPOE) system and increasing the nurse-to-patient ratio can reduce the possibility of medication errors.

Background: One of the leading causes of neonatal mortality in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is neonatal sepsis caused by carbapenem-resistant gram-negative bacteria. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the frequency, bacterial profile, and outcome of carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative neonatal sepsis in southwest Iran. Methods: This 15-month retrospective cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted at a level 3 referral training hospital. The study included all neonates hospitalized from birth who had positive blood cultures for Gram-negative bacteria. Patients were divided into carbapenem-resistant and carbapenem-sensitive groups. Results: During the study, Gram-negative bacteria were isolated from the blood cultures of 113 neonates. Positive Gram-negative bacteria blood cultures and carbapenem-resistant cases were 2.38% and 1.52%, respectively. In these cases, 66 (58.4%) of the infants were males, 100 (88.4%) were preterm, and 74 (65.4%) required mechanical ventilation within the first three days of life. The study found 45 (39.8%) infants with early-onset sepsis. Acinetobacter was the most common isolated organism, while Enterobacter had the lowest isolation rate. Carbapenem resistance was discovered in 72 (63.7%) positive blood cultures. Acinetobacter had the highest prevalence of carbapenem resistance, while Pseudomonas had the lowest. Mortality rates in infants infected with carbapenem resistance bacteria (CRB) were 89.3% compared to 10.7% in those infected with carbapenem-sensitive bacteria (CSB). Conclusions: The frequency of carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative sepsis in our ward was 1.52 percent of all admissions, and Acinetobacter bacteria was the most common cause of this type of neonatal sepsis. Infants infected with CRB had a higher mortality rate than those infected with CSB, 89.3% versus 10.7%.