Pharmacists' knowledge of medication errors and their attitudes toward reporting them in Saudi Arabia.

Abstract

Medication errors result in negative outcomes such as increased mortality, morbidity, length of hospital stays and medical costs. Assessing pharmacists' knowledge of medication errors and their attitudes toward reporting them is crucial for identifying gaps in awareness and practice. This study aims to evaluate pharmacists' knowledge of medication errors and their attitudes toward reporting them in Saudi Arabia. The present study was a cross-sectional study that included an online survey. Descriptive statistical analysis was conducted for all study variables, and linear regression analyses were performed to identify factors influencing pharmacists' knowledge of medication errors and their attitudes toward reporting them. The analysis was carried out using Jamovi software. A total of 527 pharmacists completed the survey. Over half of the participants were male (52.37%), and 59.39% were between the ages of 20 and 25. Over 25% of the pharmacists worked in hospitals, and 22.39% were employed in community pharmacies. Additionally, more than 56% of pharmacists have 8 or more years of work experience. The majority of pharmacists (90.13%) had limited knowledge about medication errors, but they maintained a positive attitude toward reporting these errors (96.39%). Pharmacists' attitudes toward medication error reporting were not significantly associated with the pharmacists' demographic data. However, pharmacists' knowledge of medication errors was significantly related to gender and age. To enhance medication safety and minimize errors, targeted educational programs should be introduced, with an emphasis on improving pharmacists' knowledge. Workplace-specific interventions are essential, alongside fostering a "just culture" to encourage transparent reporting without fear of blame. Policymakers and institutions must strengthen medication safety protocols, implement digital reporting tools, and promote interprofessional collaboration to reduce preventable errors and improve patient care.