title: Medication errors among health professionals in Nigeria: A national survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Medication errors are preventable causes of patient harm with significant contributions to adverse drug events but they remain understudied in Nigeria.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the prevalence of self-reported medication errors among health professionals and examine their knowledge of medication errors with the hope of identifying appropriate measures to promote medication safety.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross sectional survey among doctors, pharmacists and nurses in 10 tertiary hospitals. Information was obtained using a self-administered structured questionnaire. Correct responses evaluating the knowledge of prescription, dispensing and administration errors were scored one mark each and the composite scores computed. Appropriate statistics were applied to summarize and establish the relationship between variables at 5% level of significance using SPSS 17.0.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 2,386 professionals participated in the study (46.3% nurses, 44.9% doctors, 8.8% pharmacists).The prevalence of self-reported medication errors was 47%.The professional groups differ in their knowledge of all the aspects of medication errors with professional cadres influencing knowledge.Overwork was the most reason for being error prone (59.2%) and only 35.5% had ever reported medication error. 33.4% did not think reporting was necessary.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of medication errors is high among health care professionals in Nigeria. Knowledge gaps and practice deficiencies were identified requiring interventions.
authors: Department of Pharmacology, Lagos State University College of Medicine, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria.|Department of Medicine, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria.
authors: Olayinka O
authors: OO
authors: Ogunleye
authors: Department of Pharmacology, Therapeutics and Toxicology, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Idi-Araba, Lagos, Nigeria.
authors: Ibrahim A
authors: IA
authors: Oreagba
authors: Clinical Pharmacology Department, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria.
authors: Catherine
authors: C
authors: Falade
authors: Department of Medicine, University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin-City, Nigeria.
authors: Ambrose
authors: A
authors: Isah
authors: Department of Medicine, Imo State University Teaching Hospital, Orlu, Imo State, Nigeria.
authors: Okezie
authors: O
authors: Enwere
authors: Department of Pharmacology, Therapeutics and Toxicology, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Idi-Araba, Lagos, Nigeria.
authors: Sunday
authors: S
authors: Olayemi
authors: Department of Pharmacology, Lagos State University College of Medicine, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria.
authors: Sunday O
authors: SO
authors: Ogundele
authors: Department of Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria, Nigeria.
authors: Reginald
authors: R
authors: Obiako
authors: Department of Pharmacy, Jos University Teaching Hospital, Jos, Nigeria.
authors: Rachel
authors: R
authors: Odesanya
authors: Department of Medicine, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Maiduguri, Nigeria.
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Bassi
authors: Department of Medicine, Delta State University Teaching Hospital, Asaba, Nigeria.
authors: John
authors: J
authors: Obodo
authors: National Hospital, Abuja, Nigeria.
authors: Jelili
authors: J
authors: Kilani
authors: Federal Medical Centre, Jalingo, Nigeria.
authors: Mathew
authors: M
authors: Ekoja
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000145:classification / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D057970:Inappropriate Prescribing / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008508:Medication Errors / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D058996:Quality Improvement
keywords: Medication errors; Nigeria; health professionals