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The wrong medication or the wrong dosage of a medication is
prescribed either due to an erroneous diagnosis or negligence by
the doctor, hospital staff, or pharmacy.
A 1990 study of prescribing medication errors in teaching
hospitals detected an estimated 3.13 errors for each 1,000
orders written, and a rate of 1.81 significant errors per 1,000
orders. The high number of orders and the hectic nature of
general and teaching hospitals make it quite a task to get all
of the medication and prescription orders correct.
The most common errors where medication is concerned are the
volume of dosage given to patients. Other possible medication
errors include:
- Diagnostic error, such as misdiagnosis leading to an
incorrect choice of therapy, failure to use an indicated
diagnostic test, misinterpretation of test results, and
failure to act on abnormal results.
- Equipment failure, such as defibrillators with dead
batteries or intravenous pumps whose valves are easily
dislodged or bumped, causing increased doses of medication
over too short a period.
- Infections, such as nosocomial and post-surgical wound
infections.
- Blood transfusion-related injuries, such as giving a
patient the blood of the incorrect type.
- Misinterpretation of other medical orders, such as failing
to give a patient a salt-free meal, as ordered by a physician.
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