title: Medication errors in patients with dysphagia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The administration of medicines to patients with dysphagia is complex and prone to errors.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the medicine administration error (MAE) rate for those with dysphagia in acute hospitals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data was collected on the preparation and administration of oral medicines to patients with and without dysphagia, including those with enteral feeding tubes, using direct observation of 65 nurse-led medicine administration rounds at four acute general hospitals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Excluding time errors, the normalised frequency of MAEs for patients with dysphagia was 21.1% compared with 5.9% for those without the condition.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The increased MAE rate in patients with dysphagia means extra care is needed when prescribing, dispensing and administering medicines to this group.
authors: Queen Elizabeth Hospital King's Lynn Foundation Trust.
authors: Jennifer
authors: J
authors: Kelly
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Wright
authors: John
authors: J
authors: Wood
mesh_terms: D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D008508:Medication Errors; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital; D006113:United Kingdom