Caregivers' perception of drug administration safety for pediatric oncology patients

Medication errors (MEs) are reported to be between 1.5% and 90% depending on many factors, such as type of the institution where data were collected and the method to identify the errors. More significantly, the risk for errors with potential for harm is 3 times higher for children, especially those receiving chemotherapy. Few studies have been published on averting such errors with children and none on how caregivers perceive their role in preventing such errors. The purpose of this study was to evaluate pediatric oncology patient's caregivers' perception of drug administration safety and their willingness to be involved in averting such errors. A cross-sectional design was used to study a nonrandomized sample of 100 caregivers of pediatric oncology patients. Ninety-six of the caregivers surveyed were well informed about the medications their children receive and were ready to participate in error prevention strategies. However, an underestimation of potential errors uncovered a high level of "trust" for the staff. Caregivers echoed their apprehension for being responsible for potential errors. Caregivers are a valuable resource to intercept medication errors. However, caregivers may be hesitant to actively communicate their fears with health professionals. Interventions that aim at encouraging caregivers to engage in the safety of their children are recommended.