Medication related incidents in a chemotherapy outpatient unit

Abstract

Objective  To identify medication related incidents in outpatient chemotherapy unit of a teaching hospital.

Methods  This cross-sectional and descriptive study included medical records of patients who were assisted from June to August 2016 in an outpatient chemotherapy unit from a public hospital in South Brazil. Data were collected using an instrument divided into four sections: section A - questions related with characterization of patient, section B - questions related with medical prescription, section C - questions related with medication dispensing, and section D - questions related with medication administration.

Results  A total of 5,012 incidents occurred related with medical prescription, 21 associated with dispensing and 27 medication administration, therefore, totalizing 5061 incidents with and without harms to patients.

Conclusion  Of 5,061 incidents that occurred, the mean incident per health care procedures was 3.6. Incidents were really present in hospital/outpatient unit environment and they mean per health care procedures was relatively high. Our findings can provide information for health professionals about reality of institutions in terms of incidents that can occur in health practice.

Keywords Patient safety; Medication errors; Drug therapy