title: Towards safer use of opioids.
abstract: The main aim of our work was to improve the safety of opioid use in our institution, an acute generalhospital with 620 beds. Initially, all reported opioid errors from 2001 - 2006 were audited. The findings directed a range of multidisciplinary staff educational inputs to improve opioid prescribing and administration practice, and encourage drug error reporting. 448 drug errors were reported, of which 54 (12%) involved opioids; of these, 43 (79%) involved codeine, morphine or oxycodone. 31 of the errors (57%) were associated with administration, followed by 12 (22%) with dispensing and 11 (20%) with prescribing. There were 2 reports of definite patient harm. A subsequent audit examined a 17-month period following the introduction of the above teaching: 17 errors were noted, of which 14 (83%) involved codeine, morphine or oxycodone. Again, drug administration was most error-prone, comprising 11 (65%) of reports. However, just 2 (12%) of the reported errors now involved prescribing, which was a reduction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Palliative Care Medicine, Beaumont Hospital, Beaumont, Dublin 9. raymondwcarson@hotmail.com
authors.forename: R W R
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Carson
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jacob
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: McQuillan
mesh_terms: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D006801:Humans; D008508:Medication Errors / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008510:Medication Systems, Hospital; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy; D010166:Palliative Care; D005791:Patient Care; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid