Paediatric prescribing errors

Abstract

Prescribing errors are particularly important in paediatrics where dose calculations are complicated and small errors can cause significant harm. Unfortunately, there is no generally agreed definition of what constitutes an error, so studies often use differing criteria. In addition to this, obtaining statistics on rates of error is problematic as staff may be reluctant to report errors or may not include errors that were corrected before any harm occurred. Prescribing errors can be reduced by improving training, using computerised systems and involving pharmacists in checking drug charts.

Prescribing errors in a Brazilian neonatal intensive care unit

“…Studies of medication errors are extremely important because they help to identify the most vulnerable stages of the process 11 and may contribute to the development of actions to promote their reduction. However, comparisons between the results of the studies are not always possible due to the use of different definitions of medication errors and different methods of analysis 11,24,25,26 . *** p-value < 0.05 indicating statistically significant differences among gestational ages (logistic regression).…”

Safety Incidents in the Primary Care Office Setting

“…43,47 Most medications are prescribed off license and can require complex dose calculations. 48,49 Pediatric medication incidents (including their extent and methods to reduce them) have been extensively explored in the hospital setting, but less so in family practice. 43,47,[50][51][52][53][54] Our findings emphasize the importance of verification procedures and support barcode scanning of medications during dispensing and using generic medication names (rather than brand names) to reduce mistakes from inattention or distraction and communication errors.…”

Quality Use of Medicines – medication safety issues in naming; look-alike, sound-alike medicine names

“…Medication errors are considered among the most common medical errors [1,2] and have been noted to be of particular concern in paediatric medicine, [3] obstetrics and gynaecology, [4] anaesthesiology [5] and psychiatry. [2] For example, approximately half of the iatrogenic complications that occur in neonatal intensive-care settings are related to medication errors.…”

“…[6] Broadly speaking, medication errors can be characterised as errors in the prescribing (including dose calculations), supply (dispensing) or administration of medicines, which include the elements of drug ordering, transcribing, communication, product labelling, packaging and nomenclature, compounding, dispensing, distribution, administering, monitoring, education and use. [1,3] Interpreting the literature is complicated by variations in terminology. Twenty-six different definitions of medication error were identified in a review of 45 medication error studies.…”