Assessing community pharmacists' practices and strategies to minimize medication dispensing errors: a Jordanian study

The purpose of this study was to examine community pharmacists' adherence to best medication dispensing practices, their awareness of medication dispensing errors, perceived risk factors, and strategies for minimising errors.

A cross-sectional, survey-based study was conducted over six weeks (March-April 2024) among Jordanian community pharmacists. A validated, self-administered questionnaire assessed sociodemographic characteristics, adherence to dispensing practices (17-item Likert scale), awareness of medication dispensing errors, perceived risk factors, and preventive strategies. Data were analysed using SPSS.

Of the 214 pharmacist participants, high levels of adherence were reported for verifying contraindications (77.1%), counselling on proper dosage (78.5%), and timing of medication administration (79.0%); however, low levels of adherence were found for counselling on missed doses (34.6%), adverse drug reactions (40.7%), and documenting pharmacist interventions (36.9%). Major perceived risk factors for medication dispensing errors included inadequate education (67.3%), vague prescriptions (66.8%), similar medication names (61.7%), and excessive workload (54.2%). Additionally, attending a medication dispensing errors workshop was positively correlated with adherence to the best dispensing practices amongst community pharmacies in Jordan (β = 0.183, p = 0.007).

Jordanian community pharmacists demonstrate strong adherence to essential dispensing practices and substantial awareness of common medication errors. However, gaps remain in counselling, documentation, and recognition of less obvious errors. Targeted continuing education, structured workflows, and system-level interventions - such as electronic prescribing and optimised staffing - are essential to further reduce dispensing errors and enhance patient safety in community pharmacy settings.