[Pharmaceutical care strategies to prevent medication errors].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the impact of implementing new programs to improve the quality of the pharmaceutical care and unit-dose distribution system for in-patients.


METHODS
An observational and prospective study was carried out in a general hospital during two different six-monthly period. Transcription and dispensation errors were evaluated in twelve wards during the first six months. Then, two new measures were introduced: the first- reference ward-pharmacist and the second-a new protocol for checking medication on the ward. Results were evaluated by SPSS v. 14 program.


RESULTS
In the transcription evaluation, units without a ward pharmacist did not improve. Transcription errors significantly decreased in three units: gynaecology-urology (3.24% vs. 0.52%), orthopaedic (2% vs. 1.69%) and neurology-pneumology (2.81% vs. 2.02%). In dispensing, only units with the new protocol decreased their medication errors (1.77% vs. 1.24%).


CONCLUSIONS
The participation of pharmacists in multidisciplinary teams and exhaustive protocols for dispensing medication were effective in detecting and decreasing medication errors in patients.
Ucha-Samartín
Marisol
M
Servicio de Farmacia, Hospital Meixoeiro (CHUVI), Vigo, Pontevedra, España. marisol.ucha.sanmatin@sergas.es
Martínez-López de Castro
Noemí
N
Troncoso-Mariño
Amelia
A
Campelo-Sánchez
Eva
E
Vázquez-López
Cristina
C
Inaraja-Bobo
María Teresa
MT
D062787:Drug Overdose; D006748:Hospital Departments / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006753:Hospital Records; D006769:Hospitals, General / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D008508:Medication Errors / Q000451:nursing / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008510:Medication Systems, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009728:Nursing Assistants; D010348:Patient Care Team; D010362:Patients' Rooms / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010595:Pharmacists; D010607:Pharmacy Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055656:Prescriptions; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012308:Risk Management / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013030:Spain