The incidence and nature of prescribing and medication administration errors in paediatric inpatients (February 2010)

Summary

The purpose of this study, published in Archives of Disease in Childhood, was to determine the incidence and nature of prescribing and medication administration errors in paediatric inpatients.

Authors conclude that prescribing and medication administration errors are not uncommon in paediatrics, partly as a result of the extra challenges in prescribing and administering medication to this patient group. The causes and extent of these errors need to be explored locally and improvement strategies pursued.