Related Experiment Videos
Medication errors in hospitals: computerized unit dose drug dispensing system versus ward stock distribution system
Jean-Eudes Fontan1, Vincent Maneglier, Vu Xuan Nguyen
1Pharmacie et Laboratoire de Toxico-pharmacologie, Hôpital Robert Debré AP-HP, 48 bd Sérurier 75019 Paris, France. jean-eudes.fontan@jvr.ap-hop-paris.fr
Pharmacy World & Science : PWS
|July 5, 2003
Summary
Computerized prescribing and unit dose drug dispensing significantly reduced medication errors in a pediatric unit. This system demonstrated lower prescription and administration error rates compared to traditional handwritten methods.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nephrology
- Health-System Pharmacy
- Medication Safety
Background:
- Medication errors pose a significant risk in pediatric care.
- Traditional drug dispensing systems may contribute to higher error rates.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare drug prescription and administration error rates between two dispensing systems in a pediatric nephrology ward.
- Evaluate handwritten prescriptions with ward stock distribution system (WSDS) versus computerized prescriptions with unit dose drug dispensing system (UDDDS).
Main Methods:
- Data collected over 8 weeks (Feb-Mar 1999) in a pediatric nephrology ward.
- Prescription and administration documents were photocopied daily.
- Medical record analysis compared prescriptions to administration reports, classifying errors per ASHP guidelines.
Main Results:
- Overall prescription error rate was 20.7%. Computerized prescription errors were 10.6% vs. 87.9% for handwritten (P < 0.0001).
- Total administration error rate was 23.5% (including time errors).
- Computerized + UDDDS showed lower administration error rates (22.5% including time, 9.7% excluding time) compared to handwritten + WSDS (29.3% including time, 24.3% excluding time).
Conclusions:
- Computerized prescription with UDDDS significantly decreased drug prescription and administration errors in a pediatric unit.
- The findings support the adoption of advanced dispensing systems to enhance patient safety.