Vol. 7, Issue 5, Part A (2021)

Such events can be related to the professional practice, healthcare products, procedures, and systems including prescribing, order communication, product labeling, packaging, compounding, dispensing, distribution, administration, education, monitoring, and use. Medication errors increases cost, significantly prolongs hospital stay and increase the risk of death. Other common factors contributed to medication error include lack of drug information, incorrect diagnosis, drug-drug related reactions, dose miscalculations, incorrect drug administration and drug order resulting from poor handwriting, missing data when the medication is filled into more smaller units, outside components like interference, responsibility, work related pressure, inappropriate preparing or instruction on look alike and sound alike medicines.

Objectives: To determine the nature and types of medication errors, to assess the effect of medication errors on the respondents, to investigate the causes of medication errors, to provide strategies to prevent medication error.

Research Methodology: Source of data: secondary source of data is collected through nurses’ record.

Study design: The nature of this study is descriptive and is time-bound.

Sample size and sampling technique: out of all the patient files received during the study period (2 months), the record having an error is considered to be the sample of the study.

Inclusion criteria for data collection: patient records having errors when the researcher is having rounds.

Exclusion criteria for data collection: those records which are shifted to MRD after patient discharge were not included for the study.

Results: The current study was conducted to find out various medication errors prevailing in hospital.

Conclusion: Medication errors are one of the most serious aspects that interfere the patient’s safety in hospitals.