Instruments for assessing medication errors among healthcare professionals: protocol for a COSMIN-based systematic...

Medication errors (MEs) are a major threat to patient safety worldwide. Numerous instruments have been developed internationally to assess MEs and medication safety. However, the measurement properties and methodological quality of these instruments have not yet been systematically evaluated. A comprehensive appraisal of existing instruments may provide evidence-based guidance for selecting appropriate tools in clinical practice, nursing management and research. Therefore, this study aims to systematically review the measurement properties of instruments assessing MEs based on the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) methodology.

This protocol was developed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) 2015 statement. A comprehensive search of 10 electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, CNKI, Wanfang Data, VIP and Google Scholar) will be conducted to identify studies reporting the development and evaluation of instruments assessing MEs. The search will be performed in October 2026, with the final version of the review expected to be completed in April 2027. Two reviewers will independently perform study selection, data extraction and methodological quality assessment. Disagreements will be resolved through discussion or consultation with a third reviewer. The measurement properties of the included instruments will be evaluated using the COSMIN methodology.

Ethical approval is not required because this study will include only published or publicly available data. The findings will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal and presented at relevant academic conferences.

CRD420261396640.