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Published on: November 9, 2016
Medication errors in intravenous drug preparation and administration
1Ministry of Health Malaysia, Pharmaceutical Services Division, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Lot 36, Jalan Universiti, 46350 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia. woon_may@moh.gov.my.
The Medical Journal of Malaysia
|March 8, 2013
Summary
Medication errors during intravenous (IV) drug preparation and administration are frequent, with nearly all observed instances occurring. Key errors include unswabbed vials and rapid bolus injections, highlighting the need for improved IV procedures and staff training.
Area of Science:
- Clinical Pharmacy
- Patient Safety
- Healthcare Quality Improvement
Background:
- Intravenous (IV) therapy enables rapid drug delivery but involves complex preparation and administration.
- Medication errors in IV drug processes can lead to severe patient harm, including morbidity and mortality.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the occurrence and types of medication errors in IV drug preparation and administration.
- To identify factors associated with these errors.
- To explore strategies for reducing IV medication errors.
Main Methods:
- A prospective observational study was conducted at Selayang Hospital.
- 349 IV drug preparations and administrations were observed.
- Data collected focused on identifying deviations from standard procedures and potential errors.
Main Results:
- A high rate of errors (97.7%, 341/349) was observed during IV drug preparation and administration.
- Common errors included failure to swab vial tops and administering bolus doses too quickly.
- Errors were more frequent at 8:00 AM and with bolus drug administration.
Conclusions:
- Standardized IV procedures, enhanced staff training, and consistent use of infusion control devices are crucial for error reduction.
- Active cooperation among healthcare professionals and nurses is essential for improving patient safety in IV therapy.
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