Evaluating the role of clinical pharmacist in the detection and reduction of medication errors in a specialized burn unit

Abstract

Objective: This study evaluated the frequency and types of medication errors and the role of clinical pharmacist in the reduction of medication errors in a burn unit.

Methods: The clinical pharmacist monitored medication use process in all patients admitted to the burn unit in the 4-month interventional study. Direct observation and chart review methods were used to detect medication errors. Medication errors were classified according to the classification of American Society of Health-system Pharmacists. The seriousness of medication errors was categorized based on the National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention index.

Results: During the study, 1653 drugs were prescribed to 94 patients. Totally, 259 medication errors were identified. The rates of medication errors were 2.75 errors/patient, 0.16 errors/ordered medication, and 0.98 errors/prescription. The most common type of errors was prescribing error (61.8%) followed by dispensing error (14.7%). Regarding the seriousness of medication errors, 1.9%, 21.6%, 45.9%, 30.1%, and 0.4% of errors were in the categories B, C, D, E, and F, respectively. Antibiotics had the highest rate of errors. Of all detected medication errors, 64.5% were intercepted or corrected by the clinical pharmacist interventions.

Conclusion: Medication errors were not rare in the burn unit. Providing clinical pharmacy services to burn patients to reduce the incidence of medication errors is highly recommended.

Keywords: Burn; Drug; Hospital; Medication error, Clinical pharmacy; Pharmacist.