Error Reduction Strategies Research Articles

The Assessment of Reasoning Tool (ART): structuring the conversation between teachers and learners.

Background Excellence in clinical reasoning is one of the most important outcomes of medical education programs, but assessing learners' reasoning to inform corrective feedback is challenging and unstandardized. Methods The Society to Improve Diagnosis in Medicine formed a multi-specialty team of medical educators to develop the Assessment of Reasoning Tool (ART). This paper describes the tool development process. The tool was designed to facilitate clinical teachers' assessment of learners' oral presentation for competence in clinical reasoning and facilitate formative feedback. Reasoning frameworks (e.g. script theory), contemporary practice goals (e.g. high-value care [HVC]) and proposed error reduction strategies (e.g. metacognition) were used to guide the development of the tool. Results The ART is a behaviorally anchored, three-point scale assessing five domains of reasoning: (1) hypothesis-directed data gathering, (2) articulation of a problem representation, (3) formulation of a prioritized differential diagnosis, (4) diagnostic testing aligned with HVC principles and (5) metacognition. Instructional videos were created for faculty development for each domain, guided by principles of multimedia learning. Conclusions The ART is a theory-informed assessment tool that allows teachers to assess clinical reasoning and structure feedback conversations.

Effectiveness of an interprofessional patient safety team-based learning simulation experience on healthcare professional trainees

BackgroundAlthough the American Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) mandates formal education in patient safety, there is a lack of standardized educational practice on how to conduct patient safety training. Traditionally, patient safety is taught utilizing instructional strategies that promote passive learning such as self-directed online learning modules or didactic lectures that result in suboptimal learning and satisfaction.MethodsDuring the summer of 2015, 76 trainees consisting of internal medicine interns and senior-level nursing students participated in an interactive patient safety workshop that used a flipped classroom approach integrating team based learning (TBL) and interprofessional simulated application exercises.ResultsWorkshop trainees demonstrated an increase in knowledge specifically related to patient safety core concepts on the Team Readiness Assurance Test (TRAT) compared to the Individual Readiness Assurance Test (IRAT) (p = 0.001). Completion rates on the simulation application exercises checklists were high except for a few critical action items such as hand-washing, identifying barriers to care, and making efforts to clarify code status with patient. The Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) subscale scores for Teamwork and Collaboration and Professional Identity were higher on the post-workshop survey compared to the pre-workshop survey, however only the difference in the Positive Professional Identity subscale was statistically significant (p = 0.03). A majority (90%) of the trainees either agreed that the safety concepts they learned would likely improve the quality of care they provide to future patients.ConclusionsThis novel approach to safety training expanded teaching outside of the classroom and integrated simulation and engagement in error reduction strategies. Next steps include direct observation of trainees in the clinical setting for team-based competency when it comes to patient safety and recognition of system errors.

Medication errors in a pediatric anesthesia setting: Incidence, etiologies, and error reduction strategies

Study objectiveThe objective of the study was to: a) characterize the frequency, type, and outcome of anesthetic medication errors spanning an 8.5-year period, b) describe the targeted error reduction strategies and c) measure the effects, if any, of a focused, continuous, multifaceted Medication Safety Program. DesignRetrospective analysis. SettingAll anesthetizing locations (57). PatientsAll anesthesia patients at all Boston Children's Hospital anesthetizing locations from January 2008 to June 2016 were included. InterventionsMedication libraries, zero-tolerance philosophy, independent verification, trainee education, standardized dosing; retrospective study. MeasurementsNumber and type of medication errors. Main results105 medication errors were identified among the 287,908 cases evaluated during the study period. Incorrect dose (55%) and incorrect medication (28%) were the most frequently observed errors. Beginning within 3 years of the implementation of the 2009 Medication Safety Program, the incidence declined to an average of 3.0 per 10,000 cases in the years from 2010 to 2016 (57% reduction) and declined to an average of only 2.2 per 10,000 cases since 2012 (69% reduction). Logistic regression indicated a 13% reduction per year in the odds of a medication error over the time period (odds ratio = 0.87, 95% CI: 0.79–0.95, P = 0.004). ConclusionsAlthough medication errors persisted, there was a statistically significant reduction in errors during the study period. Formalized Medication Safety Programs should be adopted by other departments and institutions; these Programs could help prevent medication errors and decrease their overall incidence.

The 3 faces of clinical reasoning: Epistemological explorations of disparate error reduction strategies

There is general consensus that clinical reasoning involves 2 stages: a rapid stage where 1 or more diagnostic hypotheses are advanced and a slower stage where these hypotheses are tested or confirmed. The rapid hypothesis generation stage is considered inaccessible for analysis or observation. Consequently, recent research on clinical reasoning has focused specifically on improving the accuracy of the slower, hypothesis confirmation stage. Three perspectives have developed in this line of research, and each proposes different error reduction strategies for clinical reasoning. This paper considers these 3 perspectives and examines the underlying assumptions. Additionally, this paper reviews the evidence, or lack of, behind each class of error reduction strategies. The first perspective takes an epidemiological stance, appealing to the benefits of incorporating population data and evidence-based medicine in every day clinical reasoning. The second builds on the heuristic and bias research programme, appealing to a special class of dual process reasoning models that theorizes a rapid error prone cognitive process for problem solving with a slower more logical cognitive process capable of correcting those errors. Finally, the third perspective borrows from an exemplar model of categorization that explicitly relates clinical knowledge and experience to diagnostic accuracy.

An empirical evaluation of estimation error reduction strategies applied to international diversification

This paper evaluates the international diversification performance of estimation error reduction strategies from the perspective of individual investors in 34 countries. These strategies can provide significantly lower levels of volatility versus the naively diversified domestic and international equity benchmarks. Both the global market capitalization weighted portfolio and the optimization strategies fail to achieve significant return-to-risk gains beyond the domestic market portfolio for investors in at least 31 countries. The results suggest that the potential economic gains available from international diversification reported in previous literature may be overstating the time-varying benefits that can be realized out of sample.

256 Shades of gray: uncertainty and diagnostic error in radiology.

Radiologists practice in an environment of extraordinarily high uncertainty, which results partly from the high variability of the physical and technical aspects of imaging, partly from the inherent limitations in the diagnostic power of the various imaging modalities, and partly from the complex visual-perceptual and cognitive processes involved in image interpretation. This paper reviews the high level of uncertainty inherent to the process of radiological imaging and image interpretation vis-à-vis the issue of radiological interpretive error, in order to highlight the considerable degree of overlap that exists between these. The scope of radiological error, its many potential causes and various error-reduction strategies in radiology are also reviewed.

Exploring the impact of feedback on prescribing error rates: a pilot study.

Background Prescribing errors are prevalent in hospital settings with feedback identified as one potential error reduction strategy. Hospital pharmacists work alongside prescribers at ward level and are credible facilitators of prescribing error feedback. A formalised programme of pharmacist-led prescribing error feedback was designed and implemented Objective To determine the impact of the feedback intervention on prescribing error rates. Method Prospective prescribing audits were undertaken at baseline for control (n=11) and intervention group (n=10) prescribers. The intervention group received pharmacist-led, individualised constructive feedback on their prescribing, whilst the control group continued with existing practice. Prescribing was re-audited following 3-months of the intervention. Data were analysed using chi-squared and independent t-tests. Results Error frequency (123/641 intervention and 121/649 control) was comparable between groups at baseline (p=0.819) with significant differences (90/1677 intervention and 236/984 control) post intervention (p=<0.005). Prescribing error rates were lower in the intervention group (mean change of -11.5%) and higher in the control group (mean change of +5.9%) following the intervention, with a mean significant difference of 17.4% (SD 4.7, 95% CI, -27.3 to -7.6), t=-3.694, p<0.05, between groups. Conclusion Pharmacist-led prescribing error feedback positively influences prescribing. This intervention shows promise for wider application in hospital settings to optimise patient safety.

ED misdiagnosis of cerebrovascular events in the era of modern neuroimaging: A meta-analysis.

With the emergency department (ED) being a high-risk site for diagnostic errors, we sought to estimate ED diagnostic accuracy for identifying acute cerebrovascular events. MEDLINE and Embase were searched for studies (1995-2016) reporting ED diagnostic accuracy for ischemic stroke, TIA, or subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Two independent reviewers determined inclusion. We identified 1,693 unique citations, examined 214 full articles, and analyzed 23 studies. Studies were rated on risk of bias (QUADAS-2). Diagnostic data were extracted. We prospectively defined clinical presentation subgroups to compare odds of misdiagnosis. Included studies reported on 15,721 patients. Studies were at low risk of bias. Overall sensitivity (91.3% [95% confidence interval (CI) 90.7-92.0]) and specificity (92.7% [91.7-93.7]) for a cerebrovascular etiology was high, but there was significant variation based on clinical presentation. Misdiagnosis was more frequent among subgroups with milder (SAH with normal vs abnormal mental state; false-negative rate 23.8% vs 4.2%, odds ratio [OR] 7.03 [4.80-10.31]), nonspecific (dizziness vs motor findings; false-negative rate 39.4% vs 4.4%, OR 14.22 [9.76-20.74]), or transient (TIA vs ischemic stroke; false discovery rate 59.7% vs 11.7%, OR 11.21 [6.66-18.89]) symptoms. Roughly 9% of cerebrovascular events are missed at initial ED presentation. Risk of misdiagnosis is much greater when presenting neurologic complaints are mild, nonspecific, or transient (range 24%-60%). This difference suggests that many misdiagnoses relate to symptom-specific factors. Future research should emphasize studying causes and designing error-reduction strategies in symptom-specific subgroups at greatest risk of misdiagnosis.

Stop the Blame Game: Restructuring Morbidity and Mortality Conferences to Teach Patient Safety and Quality Improvement to Residents.

Adverse events leading to patient harm are rarely the result of an individual error but are instead due to a series of errors resulting from system breakdowns. Thus, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education requires all residents to participate in quality improvement and patient safety programs. However, a major reported obstacle to sustainable quality improvement and patient safety curricula, as well as meaningful practice improvement, is the small number of faculty with expertise or training in these topics. This workshop provides a simple framework for redesigning traditional morbidity and mortality conferences for faculty who have minimal quality improvement training. The materials associated with this publication include a standardized presentation template, sample teaching points, and a faculty facilitator's guide. Between August 2014 and February 2015, 135 trainees from one of our tertiary training sites attended seven of these redesigned conferences. The largest gains were made in teaching residents how to use a systems-based approach to analyze medical error and how to identify corresponding error-reduction strategies. Residents also perceived themselves as more likely to put their knowledge into action through filing an incident report after attending the conference. The one item that did not change was the residents' perception of safety culture at their institution, suggesting that attendance at a monthly conference is not sufficient to change culture. Similarly formatted M&Mconferences may help institutions address several aspectof the ACGME CLER program that provides programswith periodic feedback regarding trainee education onpatient safety and quality improvement as well.

Learning From Errors: Curriculum Guide for the Morbidity and Mortality Conference With a Focus on Patient Safety Concepts.

Morbidity and mortality conferences are Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-required educational series that are part of all residency training programs. This conference offers trainees an opportunity to discuss patient cases where errors or complications may have occurred. Conventionally, most of the allotted time is spent on case presentation and therapeutic debates, which is a lost opportunity to teach fundamental principles of patient safety, error analysis, and strategies for system-wide improvement. The goal of this resource is to refocus the content of morbidity and mortality and transform it into a platform for teaching patient safety principles and emphasizing error reduction strategies. It was delivered as a 1-hour workshop session once a month during usual conference times. The workshop includes a mortality case review followed by a small-group activity in which trainees are assigned specific safety tasks, including systematic analysis of an error, conducting root cause analysis, and resident peer review. Postsurveys demonstrated that 90% of the trainees either agreed or strongly agreed that the safety concepts they learned would likely improve the quality of care they provide to future patients. We learned that morbidity and mortality could be used to effectively teach principles of patient safety and could create system-wide improvements.

Approaches to reducing photon dose calculation errors near metal implants.

Dose calculation errors near metal implants are caused by limitations of the dose calculation algorithm in modeling tissue/metal interface effects as well as density assignment errors caused by imaging artifacts. The purpose of this study was to investigate two strategies for reducing dose calculation errors near metal implants: implementation of metal-based energy deposition kernels in the convolution/superposition (C/S) dose calculation method and use of metal artifact reduction methods for computed tomography (CT) imaging. Both error reduction strategies were investigated using a simple geometric slab phantom with a rectangular metal insert (composed of titanium or Cerrobend), as well as two anthropomorphic phantoms (one with spinal hardware and one with dental fillings), designed to mimic relevant clinical scenarios. To assess the dosimetric impact of metal kernels, the authors implemented titanium and silver kernels in a commercial collapsed cone C/S algorithm. To assess the impact of CT metal artifact reduction methods, the authors performed dose calculations using baseline imaging techniques (uncorrected 120 kVp imaging) and three commercial metal artifact reduction methods: Philips Healthcare's o-mar, GE Healthcare's monochromatic gemstone spectral imaging (gsi) using dual-energy CT, and gsi with metal artifact reduction software (mars) applied. For the simple geometric phantom, radiochromic film was used to measure dose upstream and downstream of metal inserts. For the anthropomorphic phantoms, ion chambers and radiochromic film were used to quantify the benefit of the error reduction strategies. Metal kernels did not universally improve accuracy but rather resulted in better accuracy upstream of metal implants and decreased accuracy directly downstream. For the clinical cases (spinal hardware and dental fillings), metal kernels had very little impact on the dose calculation accuracy (<1.0%). Of the commercial CT artifact reduction methods investigated, the authors found that o-mar was the most consistent method, resulting in either improved dose calculation accuracy (dental case) or little impact on calculation accuracy (spine case). gsi was unsuccessful at reducing the severe artifacts caused by dental fillings and had very little impact on calculation accuracy. gsi with mars on the other hand gave mixed results, sometimes introducing metal distortion and increasing calculation errors (titanium rectangular implant and titanium spinal hardware) but other times very successfully reducing artifacts (Cerrobend rectangular implant and dental fillings). Though successful at improving dose calculation accuracy upstream of metal implants, metal kernels were not found to substantially improve accuracy for clinical cases. Of the commercial artifact reduction methods investigated, o-mar was found to be the most consistent candidate for all-purpose CT simulation imaging. The mars algorithm for gsi should be used with caution for titanium implants, larger implants, and implants located near heterogeneities as it can distort the size and shape of implants and increase calculation errors.

Safety of Acupuncture and Pharmacopuncture in 80,523 Musculoskeletal Disorder Patients: A Retrospective Review of Internal Safety Inspection and Electronic Medical Records.

We investigated the range and frequency of significant adverse events (AEs) in use of pharmacopuncture and acupuncture using large-scale, single-center safety data as evidence supporting safety of acupuncture with pharmacopuncture, used extensively in Asia, is scarce. Status reports (nurse records in ambulatory and inpatient care units, and administrative event records) as a part of an internal audit at a Korean Medicine hospital specializing in the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders, patient complaints filed through the hospital website, and medical records of patients visiting from December, 2010 (inception of internal audit) to October, 2014 were retrospectively reviewed. A total 80,523 patients (5966 inpatients and 74,557 outpatients) visited during this period. Inpatients received an average 31.9 ± 20.7 acupuncture, 23.0 ± 15.6 pharmacopuncture, and 15.4 ± 11.3 bee venom pharmacopuncture sessions, and outpatients were administered 8.2 ± 12.2 acupuncture, 7.8 ± 11.5 pharmacopuncture, and 10.0 ± 12.3 bee venom sessions, respectively. AEs associated with acupuncture/pharmacopuncture were forgotten needle (n = 47), hypersensitivity to bee venom (n = 37), presyncopic episode (n = 4), pneumothorax (n = 4), and infection (n = 2). Most cases were mild requiring little or no additional intervention and leaving no sequelae. Although serious AEs including infection (n = 2) and anaphylaxis associated with bee venom treatment (n = 3) were also reported, incidence was rare at 0.002% in infection and 0.019% in anaphylaxis. Incidence of AEs associated with acupuncture/pharmacopuncture treatment was low, and most cases were not serious. Still, however rare, avoidable AEs can and should be prevented through education and corrective action. Further prospective studies on the effect of error reduction strategies on incidence of adverse effects are warranted.

Is bias in the eye of the beholder? A vignette study to assess recognition of cognitive biases in clinical case workups

BackgroundMany authors have implicated cognitive biases as a primary cause of diagnostic error. If this is so, then physicians already familiar with common cognitive biases should consistently identify biases present...

BAR CODE MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION: A STRATEGIC TECHNOLOGY INTERVENTION FOR REDUCING HOSPITAL’S MEDICATION ERRORS

ABSTRACT The purpose of this review is to investigate the bar code medication administration (BCMA) as a technological solution to reduce preventable medication administration errors. The evidence gathered will serve as a foundation for the hospital board’s executive decision making about the adoption of a technology-based error reduction strategy. The future hope of the implementation of BCMA would be a system that interfaces with other IT (Information Technology) applications to enhance patient safety and quality of care at hospitals. The IT devices, cannot replace caregivers. Yet, the systems would improve and support caregivers’ performance in meeting safety needs and delivering best practices. Keywords: Bar code, medication errors, patient safety.

Patient Safety in Medication Nomenclature: Orthographic and Semantic Properties of International Nonproprietary Names.

BackgroundConfusion between look-alike and sound-alike (LASA) medication names (such as mercaptamine and mercaptopurine) accounts for up to one in four medication errors, threatening patient safety. Error reduction strategies include computerized physician order entry interventions, and ‘Tall Man’ lettering. The purpose of this study is to explore the medication name designation process, to elucidate properties that may prime the risk of confusion.Methods and FindingsWe analysed the formal and semantic properties of 7,987 International Non-proprietary Names (INNs), in relation to naming guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO) INN programme, and have identified potential for errors. We explored: their linguistic properties, the underlying taxonomy of stems to indicate pharmacological interrelationships, and similarities between INNs. We used Microsoft Excel for analysis, including calculation of Levenshtein edit distance (LED). Compliance with WHO naming guidelines was inconsistent. Since the 1970s there has been a trend towards compliance in formal properties, such as word length, but longer names published in the 1950s and 1960s are still in use. The stems used to show pharmacological interrelationships are not spelled consistently and the guidelines do not impose an unequivocal order on them, making the meanings of INNs difficult to understand. Pairs of INNs sharing a stem (appropriately or not) often have high levels of similarity (<5 LED), and thus have greater potential for confusion.ConclusionsWe have revealed a tension between WHO guidelines stipulating use of stems to denote meaning, and the aim of reducing similarities in nomenclature. To mitigate this tension and reduce the risk of confusion, the stem system should be made clear and well ordered, so as to avoid compounding the risk of confusion at the clinical level. The interplay between the different WHO INN naming principles should be further examined, to better understand their implications for the problem of LASA errors.

Understanding and Confronting Our Mistakes: The Epidemiology of Error in Radiology and Strategies for Error Reduction.

Arriving at a medical diagnosis is a highly complex process that is extremely error prone. Missed or delayed diagnoses often lead to patient harm and missed opportunities for treatment. Since medical imaging is a major contributor to the overall diagnostic process, it is also a major potential source of diagnostic error. Although some diagnoses may be missed because of the technical or physical limitations of the imaging modality, including image resolution, intrinsic or extrinsic contrast, and signal-to-noise ratio, most missed radiologic diagnoses are attributable to image interpretation errors by radiologists. Radiologic interpretation cannot be mechanized or automated; it is a human enterprise based on complex psychophysiologic and cognitive processes and is itself subject to a wide variety of error types, including perceptual errors (those in which an important abnormality is simply not seen on the images) and cognitive errors (those in which the abnormality is visually detected but the meaning or importance of the finding is not correctly understood or appreciated). The overall prevalence of radiologists' errors in practice does not appear to have changed since it was first estimated in the 1960s. The authors review the epidemiology of errors in diagnostic radiology, including a recently proposed taxonomy of radiologists' errors, as well as research findings, in an attempt to elucidate possible underlying causes of these errors. The authors also propose strategies for error reduction in radiology. On the basis of current understanding, specific suggestions are offered as to how radiologists can improve their performance in practice.

Analysis and classification of errors made by teams during neonatal resuscitation

AimThe Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) algorithm serves as a guide to healthcare professionals caring for neonates transitioning to extrauterine life. Despite this, adherence to the algorithm is challenging, and errors are frequent. Information-dense, high-risk fields such as air traffic control have proven that formal classification of errors facilitates recognition and remediation. This study was performed to determine and characterize common deviations from the NRP algorithm during neonatal resuscitation. MethodsAudiovisual recordings of 250 real neonatal resuscitations were obtained between April 2003 and May 2004. Of these, 23 complex resuscitations were analyzed for adherence to the contemporaneous NRP algorithm and scored using a novel classification tool based on the validated NRP Megacode Checklist. ResultsSeven hundred eighty algorithm-driven tasks were observed. One hundred ninety-four tasks were completed incorrectly, for an average error rate of 23%. Forty-two were errors of omission (28% of all errors) and 107 were errors of commission (72% of all errors). Many errors were repetitive and potentially clinically significant: failure to assess heart rate and/or breath sounds, improper rate of positive pressure ventilation, inadequate peak inspiratory and end expiratory pressures during ventilation, improper chest compression technique, and asynchronous PPV and CC. ConclusionsErrors of commission, especially when performing advanced life support interventions such as positive pressure ventilation, intubation, and chest compressions, are common during neonatal resuscitation and are sources of potential harm. The adoption of error reduction strategies capable of decreasing cognitive and technical load and standardizing communication – strategies common in other industries – should be considered in healthcare.

Analytic modeling, simulation and interpretation of broadband beam coupling impedance bench measurements

First, a generalized theoretical approach towards beam coupling impedances and stretched-wire measurements is introduced. Applied to a circular symmetric setup, this approach allows to compare beam and wire impedances. The conversion formulas for TEM scattering parameters from measurements to impedances are thoroughly analyzed and compared to the analytical beam impedance solution. A proof of validity for the distributed impedance formula is given. The interaction of the beam or the TEM wave with dispersive material such as ferrite is discussed. The dependence of the obtained beam impedance on the relativistic velocity β is investigated and found as material property dependent.Second, numerical simulations of wakefields and scattering parameters are compared. The applicability of scattering parameter conversion formulas for finite device length is investigated. Laboratory measurement results for a circularly symmetric test setup, i.e. a ferrite ring, are shown and compared to analytic and numeric models. The optimization of the measurement process and error reduction strategies are discussed.

Estimation of FRFs of machine tools in output-only modal analysis

Output-only (or operational) modal analysis (OMA) has proven to be a desirable tool for a wide range of applications for identifying dynamic modal parameters while structures are in service. It is especially useful for machine tools because evident changes will occur in dynamic properties between the working state and the static condition. However, the absence of input measurements obstructs OMA from assembling the frequency response function (FRF), which is necessary for many applications. Recently, a random cutting technique was proposed to excite the machine tools in order to extract the dynamic parameters through OMA. The present study is an extension of that work to estimate the FRF of machine tools. In this paper, the random cutting process is modeled to predict the cutting forces according to available information, such as the cutting parameters, the tool geometry, and the workpiece material, which are all known before machining. A function is introduced into the model to evaluate the influence of the variation of spindle speed on the cutting forces. Then, the calculated cutting forces are employed to replace the missing input measurement to estimate the FRF. The proposed method was experimentally validated and showed satisfactory agreement between the measured and estimated results in magnitude, although the phase is not that desirable. Finally, the approximation error of the method was analyzed and some error reduction strategies were presented.

Evaluation of the medication process in pediatric patients: a meta-analysis

Objectiveto meta‐analyze studies that have assessed the medication errors rate in pediatric patients during prescribing, dispensing, and drug administration. Sourcessearches were performed in the PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Trip databases, selecting articles published in English from 2001 to 2010. Summary of the findingsa total of 25 original studies that met inclusion criteria were selected, which referred to pediatric inpatients or pediatric patients in emergency departments aged 0‐16 years, and assessed the frequency of medication errors in the stages of prescribing, dispensing, and drug administration. Conclusionsthe combined medication error rate for prescribing errors to medication orders was 0.175 (95% Confidence Interval: [CI] 0.108‐0.270), the rate of prescribing errors to total medication errors was 0.342 (95% CI: 0.146‐0.611), that of dispensing errors to total medication errors was 0.065 (95% CI: 0.026‐0.154), and that ofadministration errors to total medication errors was 0.316 (95% CI: 0.148‐0.550). Furthermore, the combined medication error rate for administration errors to drug administrations was 0.209 (95% CI: 0.152‐0.281). Medication errors constitute a reality in healthcare services. The medication process is significantly prone to errors, especially during prescription and drug administration. Implementation of medication error reduction strategies is required in order to increase the safety and quality of pediatric healthcare.