title: A systematic review of medication administration errors with transdermal patches.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Transdermal patches provide an attractive route of drug delivery with considerable advantages over other routes of administration, for example maintenance of constant plasma drug levels and convenient usage. However, medication administration errors abound with this dosage form and frequently result in harm or treatment failure.
  
  
  METHODS
  A systematic literature search was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines using appropriate keywords to identify articles reporting faulty transdermal patch administration. Common pitfalls and errors that were identified through the systematic literature search were discussed alongside individual steps of the transdermal patch administration process.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The systematic investigation of published errors illustrated that every step in the transdermal patch administration process is prone to errors. Thereby, the lack of knowledge and awareness of the importance of a correct administration practice were a major source of risk. Based on the identified errors and causes of errors prevention strategies were developed as a first step in avoiding transdermal patch administration errors.
authors.affiliation: University of Heidelberg, Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacoepidemiology, Cooperation Unit Clinical Pharmacy , Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120 Heidelberg , Germany.
authors.forename: Anette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lampert
authors.forename: Jasmin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Seiberth
authors.forename: Walter E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Haefeli
authors.forename: Hanna M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Seidling
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008508:Medication Errors / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage; D057968:Transdermal Patch
chemical_list: D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations
keywords: adverse drug reaction; medication administration errors; systematic review; transdermal patch