Endpoint: at least 1 error in the administration of a parenteral medication
Types of errors:
(1) missed dose
(2) administration at the wrong time
(3) wrong dose
(4) wrong drug
(5) wrong route
75% of errors were errors of omission.
Most common drugs affected:
(1) antimicrobial agents
(2) sedatives
(3) analgesics
Risk factors for an error:
(1) increased number of organ failures (sicker patient)
(2) receipt of any intravenous medication
(3) increased numbers of parenteral medications
(4) multiple vasoactive medications
(5) larger ICU
(6) greater number of patients per nurse
(7) higher ICU occupancy rate
(8) higher number of interventions typical for the ICU
(9) infusion of drugs previously prepared by the pharmacist
(10) specific intervention performed outside of ICU (suggesting transport to the OR or radiology)
Factors that reduce the risk of an error (absence of these increase risk):
(1) presence of basic patient monitoring
(2) presence of a critical incident reporting system
(3) routine use of checks at nursing shift changes
(4) electronic prescribing system in use
(5) increased ratio of patient turnover to the size of the ICU (relative turnover, associated with shorter ICU stays, which suggests less severe illness)
