Evaluation of a method to reduce over-the-counter medication dosing error.
OBJECTIVE
To introduce a simple method of dosing over-the-counter medication in a home setting using a color-coding concept and to compare dosing deviation from recommended dosage using the color-coded method with dosing deviation using conventional package labeling.


METHODS
Randomized controlled clinical trial.


METHODS
Pediatric emergency center at a tertiary care medical center.


METHODS
A sample of 101 caregivers of children with nonemergent complaints separated into 2 groups. One group used a conventional dosing method and the other group used a color-coded method to determine and measure a dose of acetaminophen for their child.


METHODS
For both dose determination and dose measuring, percentage of deviation from recommended acetaminophen dosage was calculated and compared between the 2 groups.


RESULTS
There was no significant difference in sociodemographic characteristics between the 2 groups. How-ever, for dose determination, the average deviation (25.8% vs 1.7%) and median deviation (1% vs 0%) from recommended dosage were both higher for the group using conventional methods compared with the group using the color-coded method. The Wilcoxon rank sum test indicated that the median deviation was significantly different between the 2 groups (P<.001). Similar results were obtained for dose measuring. The average deviation (29% vs 0.5%) and the median deviation (17.2% vs 0%) from recommended dosage were higher for the group using conventional methods compared with the group using the color-coded method. The median deviation was also significantly different between the 2 groups (P<.001).


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests a marked improvement in caregivers' ability to correctly determine and measure an over-the-counter medication for their child using a color-coded method compared with conventional methods.
Frush
Karen S
KS
Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA. k.frush@duke.edu
Luo
Xuemei
X
Hutchinson
Paul
P
Higgins
Jennifer N
JN
D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003116:Color; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D004348:Drug Labeling / Q000379:methods; D004349:Drug Packaging / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008508:Medication Errors / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States
D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs; D000082:Acetaminophen