Improving medication error reporting in hospice care.
The aims of this study are to determine the incidence of medication errors, characterize the type/severity of errors, and estimate the impact of an educational intervention on medication error processes in a hospice population. Medication errors from 2 hospice organizations were collected and coded for type of error/outcome severity. The educational intervention included a 2-hour in-service and twice weekly reminders. A survey to assess participants' change in knowledge and attitudes regarding medication error reporting through the study period and was administered at 3 different time points. Data analysis revealed that medication error reporting increased in one hospice program, that participants' ability to correctly identify medication errors increased (P < .001), and awareness of medication errors in hospice care increased (P < .01) after the intervention.
Boyer
Rachel
R
School of Pharmacy, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, USA. rboyer@rx.umaryland.edu
McPherson
Mary Lynn
ML
Deshpande
Guarav
G
Smith
Sheila Weiss
SW
D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000193:education; D017051:Hospice Care / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D008396:Maryland; D008508:Medication Errors / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care