Medication errors, paediatric incidence

Ghaleb and Wong s review (2006) demonstrates that the spontaneous reporting systems tend to yield a lower rate of paediatric medication errors than the other methods. This is due to underestimation and under-reporting. In contrast, observation methods tend to find higher incidences than the other two methods. These published reports confirm that paediatric medication errors are at least as common as errors in adults. A study by Kaushal and colleagues (2001) has shown that potential adverse drug events may be three times more common in children than in adults. 

USA) 1995. Phase 1 14 days phase 2 5 days paediatric teaching hospital. Phase 1 2 units (ICU and medical surgical unit). Phase 2 3 units (ICU, medical and surgical units) Following medication order written from prescribing through administration. Also review of medical record, pharmacy s clinical interventions and quality control log, and incident reports. Also review of medication administration record Sample 3312 medication orders Error rate 24/100 orders Administration error 0.15% doses administered... 

USA) 1999) teaching hospital and all paediatric wards in a general teaching hospital Identified incidents from reporte, medication order sheets and medication administration records and chart reviews Sample 10 778 medication orders orders Error rate 5.7/100 orders... 

Wong I C K, Ghaleb M, Dean Franklin B, Barber N (2004). Incidence and nature of dosing errors in paediatric medications - A systematic review. Drug Safety 27 661-670. 

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