Medication errors and drug knowledge gaps among critical-care nurses: a mixed multi-method study
Abstract Background Medication errors are a serious and complex problem in clinical practice, especially in intensive care units whose patients can suffer potentially very serious consequences because of the critical nature of their diseases and the pharmacotherapy programs implemented in these pati...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2019-09-01
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| Series: | BMC Health Services Research |
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| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12913-019-4481-7 |
| _version_ | 1828843628490915840 |
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| author | Juan Escrivá Gracia Ricardo Brage Serrano Julio Fernández Garrido |
| author_facet | Juan Escrivá Gracia Ricardo Brage Serrano Julio Fernández Garrido |
| author_sort | Juan Escrivá Gracia |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Medication errors are a serious and complex problem in clinical practice, especially in intensive care units whose patients can suffer potentially very serious consequences because of the critical nature of their diseases and the pharmacotherapy programs implemented in these patients. The origins of these errors discussed in the literature are wide-ranging, although far-reaching variables are of particular special interest to those involved in training nurses. The main objective of this research was to study if the level of knowledge that critical-care nurses have about the use and administration of medications is related to the most common medication errors. Methods This was a mixed (multi-method) study with three phases that combined quantitative and qualitative techniques. In phase 1 patient medical records were reviewed; phase 2 consisted of an interview with a focus group; and an ad hoc questionnaire was carried out in phase 3. Results The global medication error index was 1.93%. The main risk areas were errors in the interval of administration of antibiotics (8.15% error rate); high-risk medication dilution, concentration, and infusion-rate errors (2.94% error rate); and errors in the administration of medications via nasogastric tubes (11.16% error rate). Conclusions Nurses have a low level of knowledge of the drugs they use the most and with which a greater number of medication errors are committed in the ICU. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T20:50:00Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-68180b76796044a690aac1a6f84e5509 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1472-6963 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T20:50:00Z |
| publishDate | 2019-09-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Health Services Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-68180b76796044a690aac1a6f84e55092022-12-22T00:12:27ZengBMCBMC Health Services Research1472-69632019-09-011911910.1186/s12913-019-4481-7Medication errors and drug knowledge gaps among critical-care nurses: a mixed multi-method studyJuan Escrivá Gracia0Ricardo Brage Serrano1Julio Fernández Garrido2Department of nursing, University of ValenciaDepartment of nursing, University of ValenciaDepartment of nursing, University of ValenciaAbstract Background Medication errors are a serious and complex problem in clinical practice, especially in intensive care units whose patients can suffer potentially very serious consequences because of the critical nature of their diseases and the pharmacotherapy programs implemented in these patients. The origins of these errors discussed in the literature are wide-ranging, although far-reaching variables are of particular special interest to those involved in training nurses. The main objective of this research was to study if the level of knowledge that critical-care nurses have about the use and administration of medications is related to the most common medication errors. Methods This was a mixed (multi-method) study with three phases that combined quantitative and qualitative techniques. In phase 1 patient medical records were reviewed; phase 2 consisted of an interview with a focus group; and an ad hoc questionnaire was carried out in phase 3. Results The global medication error index was 1.93%. The main risk areas were errors in the interval of administration of antibiotics (8.15% error rate); high-risk medication dilution, concentration, and infusion-rate errors (2.94% error rate); and errors in the administration of medications via nasogastric tubes (11.16% error rate). Conclusions Nurses have a low level of knowledge of the drugs they use the most and with which a greater number of medication errors are committed in the ICU.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12913-019-4481-7Medication errorsCritical careError causeGaps in drug knowledge |
| spellingShingle | Juan Escrivá Gracia Ricardo Brage Serrano Julio Fernández Garrido Medication errors and drug knowledge gaps among critical-care nurses: a mixed multi-method study BMC Health Services Research Medication errors Critical care Error cause Gaps in drug knowledge |
| title | Medication errors and drug knowledge gaps among critical-care nurses: a mixed multi-method study |
| title_full | Medication errors and drug knowledge gaps among critical-care nurses: a mixed multi-method study |
| title_fullStr | Medication errors and drug knowledge gaps among critical-care nurses: a mixed multi-method study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Medication errors and drug knowledge gaps among critical-care nurses: a mixed multi-method study |
| title_short | Medication errors and drug knowledge gaps among critical-care nurses: a mixed multi-method study |
| title_sort | medication errors and drug knowledge gaps among critical care nurses a mixed multi method study |
| topic | Medication errors Critical care Error cause Gaps in drug knowledge |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12913-019-4481-7 |
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