title: Drug-dispensing errors in the hospital pharmacy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the dispensing error rate and to identify factors associated with them, and to propose prevention actions.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study focusing on the occurrence of dispensing errors in a general hospital in Belo Horizonte that uses a mixed system (a combination of multidose and unit dose systems) of collective and individualized dosing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 422 prescription order forms were analyzed, registering 81.8% with at least 1 dispensing error. Opportunities for errors were higher in the pretyped prescription order forms (odds ratio = 4.5; P <.001), in those with 9 or more drugs (odds ratio = 4.0; P <.001), and with those for injectable drugs (odds ratio = 5.0; P <.001). One of the teams of professionals had a higher chance of errors (odds ratio = 2.0; P =.02). A multivariate analysis ratified these results.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The dispensing system at the pharmacy can produce many latent failures and does not have an adequate control; it has several conditions that predispose it to the occurrence of errors, contributing to the high rate reported.
authors.affiliation: Hospital João XXIII, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. taniaanacleto@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Tânia Azevedo
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Anacleto
authors.forename: Edson
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Perini
authors.forename: Mário Borges
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Rosa
authors.forename: Cibele Comini
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: César
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004304:Dosage Forms; D004348:Drug Labeling; D006779:Hospitals, Public; D006801:Humans; D008508:Medication Errors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008510:Medication Systems, Hospital; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010607:Pharmacy Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D004304:Dosage Forms