title: Medication errors versus time of admission in a subpopulation of stroke patients undergoing inpatient rehabilitation complications and considerations.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study looked at the medication ordering error frequency and the length of inpatient hospital stay in a subpopulation of stroke patients (n-60) as a function of time of patient admission to an inpatient rehabilitation hospital service.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 60 inpatient rehabilitation patients, 30 arriving before 4 pm, and 30 arriving after 4 pm, with as admitting diagnosis of stroke were randomly selected from a larger sample (N=426).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a statistically significant increase in medication ordering errors and the number of inpatient rehabilitation hospital days in the group of patients who arrived after 4 pm.
authors.affiliation: National Rehabilitation Hospital, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Eric P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Pitts
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008508:Medication Errors; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010343:Patient Admission; D011897:Random Allocation; D012047:Rehabilitation Centers; D020521:Stroke / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation