MEDICATION INCIDENTS (ERRORS) RELATED TO THE PRESCRIBING, DISPENSING AND ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICINES TO THE OLDER PERSON

Abstract

Objectives To present the best available evidence related to the identification and management of medication incidents (errors) associated with the prescribing, dispensing and administration of medicines in the older person in the acute, subacute, and residential care settings. Questions The specific review questions to be addressed are: • What types of medication incidents (errors) have been identified in the acute, subacute and residential care settings? • What causes of medication incidents (errors) have been identified in the acute, subacute and residential care settings? • What strategies/interventions are most effective in reducing the incidence of medication incidents (errors) in the acute, subacute and residential care settings? Criteria for considering studies for this review Types of participants Those people who are involved in the prescribing, dispensing or administering of medication to the older person (aged 65 years and older) in the acute, sub acute or residential care settings will be included in the review, namely: • Registered nurses • Enrolled nurses (or equivalent eg. LPN) • Pharmacists • Physicians/medical practitioners (or equivalents) • Personal care attendants/ancillary staff (or equivalent) Types of interventions All studies reviewing the following will be included in the review: 1. Identification of different types of medication incidents (errors)in the acute, sub-acute and residential settings 2. a. preventable • incidents (errors) in prescribing of medication (dose, route, time, patient, legibility, known allergies) • incidents (errors) in dispensing of medication (packaging, labelling) • incidents (errors) in method of administration of a drug (drug, dose, route, time, patient, known allergies) b. non-preventable 3. Strategies to prevent medication incidents (errors) in the acute, sub-acute and residential settings Types of outcome measures The outcome measures of interest to be considered will include: • Identification of the causes of medication incident (error) • Strategies that reduce the number and type of medication incident (error)