title: Analysis of medication errors in simulated pediatric resuscitation by residents.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The objective of our study was to estimate the incidence of prescribing medication errors specifically made by a trainee and identify factors associated with these errors during the simulated resuscitation of a critically ill child.
  
  
  METHODS
  The results of the simulated resuscitation are described. We analyzed data from the simulated resuscitation for the occurrence of a prescribing medication error. We compared univariate analysis of each variable to medication error rate and performed a separate multiple logistic regression analysis on the significant univariate variables to assess the association between the selected variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We reviewed 49 simulated resuscitations. The final medication error rate for the simulation was 26.5% (95% CI 13.7% - 39.3%). On univariate analysis, statistically significant findings for decreased prescribing medication error rates included senior residents in charge, presence of a pharmacist, sleeping greater than 8 hours prior to the simulation, and a visual analog scale score showing more confidence in caring for critically ill children. Multiple logistic regression analysis using the above significant variables showed only the presence of a pharmacist to remain significantly associated with decreased medication error, odds ratio of 0.09 (95% CI 0.01 - 0.64).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate that the presence of a clinical pharmacist during the resuscitation of a critically ill child reduces the medication errors made by resident physician trainees.
authors.affiliation: University of California San Francisco, Department of Emergency Medicine, San Francisco, California.
authors.forename: Evelyn
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Porter
authors.affiliation: Loma Linda University Medical Center and Children's Hospital, Departments of Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics, Loma Linda, California.
authors.forename: Besh
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Barcega
authors.affiliation: Loma Linda University Medical Center and Children's Hospital, Departments of Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics, Loma Linda, California.
authors.forename: Tommy Y
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D003422:Critical Care / Q000592:standards*; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D008508:Medication Errors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000193:education*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012151:Resuscitation / Q000193:education*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014743:Videotape Recording