title: Prescription error in an orthopaedic practice.
abstract: A retrospective review of 17,833 prescription items was undertaken at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria with the aim of determining the prevalence and types of prescription error. The percentage prescription error was 4.5 with type C (minor nuisance) being the most common prescription error. Incomplete prescription was the reason for these errors in 71% of cases. Our results revealed that the higher the professional status of the prescriber, the lower the prescription error. Even though the errors were recognised and corrected at the dispensing point, there was no indication that the prescriber was informed of his mistakes. We suggest, amongst others, regular clinical meeting of Doctors and Pharmacists where various aspects of rational drug could be discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, National Orthopaedic Hospital Igbobi, Yaba, Lagos.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yinusa
mesh_terms: D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000145:classification; D006779:Hospitals, Public; D006801:Humans; D008508:Medication Errors / Q000145:classification; D009549:Nigeria; D009985:Orthopedics; D012189:Retrospective Studies