Abstract
Medication errors can be harmful, especially if they involve the intravenous (IV) route of administration. A mixed-methodology study using a 5-year review of 73,769 IV-related medication errors from a national medication error reporting program indicates that between 3% and 5% of these errors were harmful. The leading type of error was omission, and the leading cause of error involved clinician performance deficit. Using content analysis, three themes-product shortage, calculation errors, and tubing interconnectivity-emerge and appear to predispose patients to harm. Nurses often participate in IV therapy, and these findings have implications for practice and patient safety. Voluntary medication error-reporting programs afford an opportunity to improve patient care and to further understanding about the nature of IV-related medication errors.
MeSH terms
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Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting Systems*
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Causality
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Clinical Competence / standards
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Drug Interactions
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Drug Therapy / methods
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Drug Therapy / nursing
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Drug Therapy / statistics & numerical data
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Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions
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Humans
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Infusions, Intravenous / adverse effects*
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Infusions, Intravenous / methods
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Infusions, Intravenous / nursing
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Infusions, Intravenous / statistics & numerical data
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Injections, Intravenous / adverse effects*
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Injections, Intravenous / methods
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Injections, Intravenous / nursing
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Injections, Intravenous / statistics & numerical data
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Mathematics
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Medication Errors / methods*
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Medication Errors / nursing
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Medication Errors / prevention & control
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Medication Errors / statistics & numerical data*
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Pharmaceutical Preparations / supply & distribution
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Prevalence
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Safety Management / organization & administration
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Total Quality Management / organization & administration
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United States / epidemiology
Substances
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Pharmaceutical Preparations