This study, which was conducted in a hospital in São Paulo State, Brazil in 1999, aimed at analyzing the consequences of medication errors for patients and nursing professionals based on error reports. The Critical Incident Technique with modifications was adopted as a theoretical frameworkl. Data were collected through interviews with 7 nurses, 4 nursing technicians and 23 nursing auxiliaries. The analysis enabled the identification of consequences for patients and for the nursing professionals involved. It was concluded that medication errors must be reported so that their causes, rates and consequences in hospitals can be observed, considering that medication error rates are the sources for various studies as well as indicators for the improvement of the hospital system and care quality.
nursing atuation; nursing consequences
