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Categorising paediatric prescribing errors by junior doctors through prescribing competency assessment: does
Tessa Davis1, Hong Thoong, Anna Kelsey
1Medical Leadership Programme, North Western Deanery, Manchester, UK. tessadavis06@gmail.com
European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology
|November 13, 2012
Summary
Paediatric prescribing competency assessments accurately reflect common dosing errors seen in practice. This finding suggests assessments can guide targeted education to reduce prescribing errors in junior doctors.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Patient Safety
- Clinical Pharmacy
Background:
- Paediatric prescribing errors are common, primarily made by junior doctors.
- Dosing errors are the most frequent type of prescribing error in practice.
- Assessing the validity of prescribing competency assessments in reflecting real-world errors is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if prescribing error types identified in a paediatric prescribing competency assessment align with those observed in actual clinical practice.
- To evaluate the utility of competency assessments in understanding prescribing error patterns.
Main Methods:
- Junior doctors at Royal Manchester Children's Hospital (RMCH) participated in a prescribing competency assessment.
- Prescribing errors within the assessment were categorized and analyzed.
- Error rates and types from the assessment were compared to published data from clinical practice.
Main Results:
- The rate of prescribing errors in the competency assessment (23.1%) was higher than previously reported rates in practice.
- The most common error type, incorrect dose calculation, mirrored findings from actual clinical practice.
- The assessment effectively identified common prescribing error categories.
Conclusions:
- Prescribing competency assessments provide a valid reflection of the types of errors junior doctors make in practice.
- Assessment data can inform the development of tailored prescribing education.
- Prescribing competency packages can serve as effective tools for educating junior doctors and reducing errors.
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