[Pharmaceutical validation and error detection in the prescription of antineoplastics in oncohematological patients]

To identify the different types of cytostatic prescription errors in adult and paediatric oncohematological patients in our hospital and to propose strategies for improvement.

Longitudinal, prospective, observational study in which prescriptions for antineoplastics from the haematology and paediatric oncohaematology departments were validated over a 15-month period. The types of error were classified in accordance with the terminology and taxonomy published by Otero and cols in the document "Medication errors: standardisation of terminology and classification". Eleven variables were recorded. Amongst other parameters, the following were determined: percentage of overall error, percentage of error in type of prescription, percentage of service error, percentage of pharmaceutical intervention and level of acceptance.

A total of 92 errors were recorded which corresponded to 1.4% of the total prescriptions. The most significant errors were: incorrect dose (28.2%), incorrect duration (21.7%), incorrect volume and/or inadequate vehicle (16.3%), and in one case a prescription was made up where the patient was allergic to the specific cytostatic drug prescribed. 81.8% of prescription errors were made manually. In the haematology department a 0.9% error was recorded, as was a 3.5% error in paediatric oncohaematology. Both the rate of pharmaceutical intervention and its level of acceptance were 100%.