Dataset Information

Prescribing errors and associated factors in discharge prescriptions in the emergency department: A prospective cross-sectional study.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Evidence regarding the prevalence of medication prescribing errors (PEs) and potential factors that increase PEs among patients treated in the emergency department (ED) are limited. This study aimed to explore the prevalence and nature of PEs in discharge prescriptions in the ED and identify potential risk factors associated with PEs.

Methods

This was a prospective observational cross-sectional study in an ambulatory ED in a tertiary teaching hospital. Data were collected for six months using a customized reporting tool. All patients discharged from ED with a discharged prescription within the study period were enrolled in this study.

Results

About 13.5% (n = 68) of the 504 prescriptions reviewed (for 504 patients) had at least one error. Main PEs encountered were wrong dose (23.2%), wrong frequency (20.7%), and wrong strength errors (14.6%). About 36.8% of identified PEs were related to pediatric prescriptions, followed by the acute care emergency unit (26.5%) and the triage emergency unit (20.6%). The main leading human-related causes associated with PEs were lack of knowledge (40.9%) followed by an improper selection from a computer operator list (31.8%). The leading contributing systems related factors were pre-printed medication orders (50%), lack of training (31.5%), noise level (13.0%), and frequent interruption of prescriber and distraction (11.1%). Prescribers' involved with the identified errors were resident physicians (39.4%), specialists (30.3%), and (24.4%) were made by general practitioners. Physicians rejected around 12% of the pharmacist-raised recommendations related to the identified PEs as per their clinical judgment.

Conclusion

PEs in ED setting are common, and multiple human and systems-related factors may contribute to the development of PEs. Further training to residents and proper communication between the healthcare professionals may reduce the risk of PEs in ED.

SUBMITTER: Anzan M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7802932 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Prescribing errors and associated factors in discharge prescriptions in the emergency department: A prospective cross-sectional study.

Anzan Mona M Alwhaibi Monira M Almetwazi Mansour M Alhawassi Tariq M TM

PloS one 20210112 1

<h4>Objectives</h4>Evidence regarding the prevalence of medication prescribing errors (PEs) and potential factors that increase PEs among patients treated in the emergency department (ED) are limited. This study aimed to explore the prevalence and nature of PEs in discharge prescriptions in the ED and identify potential risk factors associated with PEs.<h4>Methods</h4>This was a prospective observational cross-sectional study in an ambulatory ED in a tertiary teaching hospital. Data were collect ...[more]

PMID: 33434202

Similar Datasets

Project description:IntroductionThere are more than 80,000 emergency department (ED) visits for non-fatal bullet-related injuries (BRI) per year in the United States. Approximately half of these patients are discharged home from the ED. Our objective in this study was to characterize the discharge instructions, prescriptions, and follow-up plans provided to patients discharged from the ED after BRI.MethodsThis was a single-center, cross-sectional study of the first 100 consecutive patients who presented to an urban, academic, Level I trauma center ED with an acute BRI beginning on January 1, 2020. We queried the electronic health record for patient demographics, insurance status, cause of injury, hospital arrival and discharge timestamps, discharge prescriptions, and documented instructions regarding wound care, pain management, and follow-up plans. We analyzed data using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests.ResultsDuring the study period, 100 patients presented to the ED with an acute firearm injury. Patients were predominantly young (median age 29, interquartile range 23-38 years), male (86%), Black (85%), non-Hispanic (98%), and uninsured (70%). We found that 12% of patients did not receive any type of written wound care instruction, while 37% received discharge paperwork that included instructions to take both an NSAID and acetaminophen. Fifty-one percent of patients received an opioid prescription, with a range from 3-42 tablets (median 10 tablets). The proportion of patients receiving an opioid prescription was significantly higher among White patients (77%) than among Black patients (47%).ConclusionThere is variability in prescriptions and instructions provided to survivors of bullet injuries upon ED discharge at our institution. Our data indicates that standardized discharge protocols could improve quality of care and equity in the treatment of patients who have survived a BRI. Current variable quality in discharge planning is an entry point for structural racism and disparity.

Dataset Information

Prescribing errors and associated factors in discharge prescriptions in the emergency department: A prospective cross-sectional study.

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Publications

Prescribing errors and associated factors in discharge prescriptions in the emergency department: A prospective cross-sectional study.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets