title: Evaluation of a Web-based education program on reducing medication dosing error: a multicenter, randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Broselow Pediatric Resuscitation Tape has been shown to be effective in reducing medication dosing error among pediatric emergency providers. However, the tape has often been used inappropriately or incorrectly.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate whether a Web-based education program on proper use of the tape could reduce medication dosing errors and time to determine dose.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomized, controlled trial conducted among 89 pediatric emergency providers from 3 study sites.
  
  
  METHODS
  All study subjects participated in a videotaped simulated stabilization scenario and were then randomly assigned to control or education group. After the intervention, all subjects participated in another simulation.
  
  
  METHODS
  The primary outcomes included dosing deviation from accepted dose range for each medication prescribed and dosing deviation summary, calculated by averaging dosing deviation for all medications. The secondary outcomes included time to determine a dose for each medication prescribed, and dosing time summary; that is, the average time to determine doses for all medications prescribed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant difference was observed in the demographic characteristics of the 2 groups. After the educational intervention, the average (12.6% vs. 24.9%) and median (7.1% vs. 20.1%) dosing deviation summary were much lower in the education group than in the control group. The difference in the median dosing deviation summary between the 2 groups was statistically significant (P = 0.0002). Similar results were observed for the dosing time. The education group demonstrated a lower average (16 vs. 20 seconds) and lower median (15 vs. 18 seconds) dosing time summary than the control group. The difference in the median dosing time summary between the 2 groups was statistically significant (P = 0.02). Analysis of each medication prescribed indicated that the decrease in the dosing deviation and dosing time in the education group was most obvious for several specific medications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Web-based education program on the proper use of the Broselow Pediatric Resuscitation Tape could improve dosing accuracy and reduce dosing time.
authors.affiliation: Center for Patient Safety and Clinical Quality, Duke University Health System, Durham, NC 27710, USA. frush002@mc.duke.edu
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Frush
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hohenhaus
authors.forename: Xuemei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gerardi
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Wiebe
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D004522:Educational Status; D004634:Emergency Medical Technicians; D004635:Emergency Medicine / Q000193:education; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008508:Medication Errors / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008510:Medication Systems, Hospital; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000193:education; D010564:Personnel, Hospital; D015397:Program Evaluation; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*