Identifying medication errors in surgical prescription charts.

Abstract

Background: Each year 200 million prescriptions for children and adolescents are issued in the UK, with a 1.5 per cent prevalence of errors.

Aim: To identify and quantify medication errors on surgical children's prescription charts over a four-month period at two hospital sites.

Method: Retrospective review of the prescription charts of 175 children at a children's hospital and a children's unit.

Results: Errors totalled 301, the most common was overwriting of a prescription, the least common was incorrect dates. No resulting adverse events were recorded.

Conclusion: The prevalence of errors needs to be reduced to avoid serious adverse incidents. Computerised physician order entry systems are discussed as a potential solution.