Ramez Maximous1, Jean Wong2, Frances Chung2, Amir Abrishami3,4. 1. Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Roger Guindon Hall, 451 Symth Road #2044, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8M5, Canada. rmaxi036@uottawa.ca. 2. Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, University of Toronto, 399 Bathurst Street, Toronto, ON, Canada. 3. Niagara Health, St. Catharines, ON, Canada. 4. Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University, Cairns Family Health and Bioscience, Niagara Regional Campus, St. Catharines, ON, Canada.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to provide a synthesis of the interventions designed to reduce medication errors in anesthetized patients. METHODS: We electronically searched major databases using index and free-text keywords related to anesthesia and medication errors. We included cohort studies exploring interventions to reduce anesthetic medication errors in both adult and pediatric patients. The risk of bias for each study was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. RESULTS: One thousand five-hundred and fifty-eight titles or abstracts were screened, and 56 full-text studies were assessed for eligibility; eight studies were included in the final analysis. Case reports and retrospective studies were excluded. The quality of most studies (n = 6) was graded as "low". There were three categories of interventions: I) multimodal interventions (6 studies, n = 900,170 medication administrations) showed a reduction in rates of errors of 21-35% per administration and 37-41% per anesthetic; II) improved labels (1 study, n = 55,426 medication administrations) resulted in a 37% reduction in rates of errors per anesthetic; and III) the effect of education was assessed in one study and showed no effect. CONCLUSION: Multimodal interventions and improved labelling reduce medication errors in anesthetized patients.
BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to provide a synthesis of the interventions designed to reduce medication errors in anesthetized patients. METHODS: We electronically searched major databases using index and free-text keywords related to anesthesia and medication errors. We included cohort studies exploring interventions to reduce anesthetic medication errors in both adult and pediatric patients. The risk of bias for each study was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. RESULTS: One thousand five-hundred and fifty-eight titles or abstracts were screened, and 56 full-text studies were assessed for eligibility; eight studies were included in the final analysis. Case reports and retrospective studies were excluded. The quality of most studies (n = 6) was graded as "low". There were three categories of interventions: I) multimodal interventions (6 studies, n = 900,170 medication administrations) showed a reduction in rates of errors of 21-35% per administration and 37-41% per anesthetic; II) improved labels (1 study, n = 55,426 medication administrations) resulted in a 37% reduction in rates of errors per anesthetic; and III) the effect of education was assessed in one study and showed no effect. CONCLUSION: Multimodal interventions and improved labelling reduce medication errors in anesthetized patients.
Authors: Alan F Merry; Craig S Webster; Jacqueline Hannam; Simon J Mitchell; Robert Henderson; Papaarangi Reid; Kylie-Ellen Edwards; Anisoara Jardim; Nick Pak; Jeremy Cooper; Lara Hopley; Chris Frampton; Timothy G Short Journal: BMJ Date: 2011-09-22
Authors: Huseyin Naci; Courtney Davis; Jelena Savović; Julian P T Higgins; Jonathan A C Sterne; Bishal Gyawali; Xochitl Romo-Sandoval; Nicola Handley; Christopher M Booth Journal: BMJ Date: 2019-09-18